Better Things than You
by Emilyblood
Summary: Kagome has just been jilted by her fiancee Inuyasha at the end of the London Season. Without a husband under her belt, she be little more than a social pariah, so she decides to do something about it...Yes, it will be InuKag after he gets his act togethe
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Inuyasha.

**A/N:** Yeah, I know I have two other stories not done, but this is my London story. I've had to look at so much Victorian and Georgian architecture in this city and had to read so much London based Victorian literature, something had to come of it, and well I guess this fanfic is it. For those of you reading my other stuff, I'm almost done with an update on "Marriage", and I have a start on the next chapter for the "Fortuneteller/Nerdy Hanyou".

Chapter 1 

It was a rare sunny day in London. The gloom, which had spent weeks on end snuggling with the city, had finally been washed away by the cold wind and clear sky.

Kagome Higurashi—soon to be Kagome Takahashi after she married into that prestigious family—stood watching by the front parlor window of her family's home. She was waiting on two of her favorite people in the world, her half brother and his best friend. A light blush flushed her face just thinking about the latter and a serene smile spread over her lips as she pulled back part of the lacy curtain to reveal Miroku coming up the front steps.

She had a small feeling of apprehension when it dawned her he was both alone and not looking in the best of spirits. When he hesitated at the door and looked as though he was going to make a run for the street, Kagome knew something was wrong. Sprinting as well as she could in her heels and corset out of the sunlit room and into the poorly light entry hall, she pushed pass the footman helping Miroku out of his jacket to stand before her half brother.

"What's wrong? Where's Inuyasha? He's alright, isn't he?" Kagome demanded.

Miroku, always calm, took his time removing his hat to sit it on the coat rack behind him before turning back to the woman to whom he was about deliver some most unwanted news.

"Ah, Lady Kagome," he joked, "there you are." _So soon_, he added in his mind. He had been hoping for some time to sort out what he had just been told before had to face Kagome.

"Miroku!" She hissed. Kagome's heart was beating in her ears, and her hands were shaking. In her mind a million grim images were being conjured—from carriage crashes, to slips on bridges, to deadly fights between Inuyasha and his older brother. No trivial matter could keep Inuyasha away from her. "Where is _he_?"

Miroku looked at his feet. This wasn't going to be easy, and she was going to get more agitated as time went on, so he needed to bite the bullet.

"Inuyasha won't be joining us today."

_Great, is that the best you can do Miroku?_

"Why not? He's alright, right?" Kagome gripped his arm, pleading him to tell her that Inuyasha was fine. _He's more than fine_.

"Kagome," Miroku dropped the act. "Kagome, he isn't coming today or any other day. He…he has broken off your engagement and is currently making plans for his wedding with Miss Kikyou." _There, I've said it._ Miroku looked up just in time to see Kagome nod silently. She was pale and she turned on her heel and began to make her way to the staircase leading up to the family's bedrooms.

"Kagome, wait," Miroku tried to reach out, but she stepped out of his grasp.

"I'll be fine, I just need some time to myself." Her hollow voice echoed in his ears.

Miroku nodded and his eyes followed her as she trudged up to the second floor. He had to tell his stepmother and father the news too. If he ever saw Inuyasha again…

XXXXXXXXXX

Kagome sat on the edge of her bed, a little numb, very confused, and trying her best not to think. If she let her mind wander, she wasn't really sure what she would do.

What had happened? What had gone wrong?

Just the day before she had been walking with Inuyasha, as a happy and content pair.

Or at least she had thought they were happy and content.

She could remember their walk in the park, though under dark clouds. Miroku was trailing behind as chaperone and Inuyasha was whispering in her ear. Every thing but the weather had been well…perfect.

When her mother came later, Kagome pretended to be asleep. She really couldn't face anyone at the moment. Mrs. Higurashi seemed to sense as much, but spoke to her daughter anyway.

"I know this hurt you, Kagome, and as soon as you want to talk about it I'll be here. I don't understand what has happened anymore than you do, but when you feel up to it, we'll try to find the answers. Sleep well, dear."

Kagome waited until her mother's footfalls had disappeared down the hall, then huddled even deeper under the covers and really began to cry.

**A/N: **Yeah, not very long and not some of my best writing. I think I'm out of practice and my natural writing style is trying to reconcile itself with all the Dickens I've been forced to read over here. As far as the length, I'm just testing the waters—I want to see what you guys think. I'm not sure if it's worth continuing.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Inuyasha.

**A/N:** Thanks for the reviews guys! There are some historic inaccuracies in this chapter (like when duels became illegal in England), but this is fanfic, so if you're that picky buzz off. I'm going to Paris for my nice long 4 day weekend, so I don't know when the next update will be as I'll be spending a lot of time making up the homework I'm not going to be doing, and since I get the most written on my stories on the weekends.

Chapter 2 

Kagome dressed herself slowly. She had not planned on leaving her house for a few days, but there was a ball that night and her mother was firm she should go to save as much face as possible.

After she had come out of her shock from the fact she had been left by Inuyasha, Kagome had realized her problems ran much deeper than her emotional issues—no matter how broken she felt. She had been jilted, to put it nicely, and with Inuyasha's rejection she would be ranked as little more than leftovers in society. She had come out into society from a high standing family at the beginning of this season, and (according to the rules of good society) she had found a man to marry her. But now that she was ending the Season single, she had broken the rules and no one would want her; she was officially a leper.

Therefore it was a brave move for her to make an appearance this night. Checking her appearance in the mirror, she decided she looked as good as she was going to. Her eyes were still a bit blood shot and red, not to mention she had a nice haggard look to her face.

It didn't matter. Tonight was to tell people she was not going to lie down and die, nothing else. No man was going to be seeking a bride this late in the season and no one would want her anyway: she was as good as used goods. No one in London wanted used goods.

Kagome slumped down the staircase. No Inuyasha waited at the foot of the stairs that night to escort her out into society. Only Miroku stood, fully dress, and waiting to do his obligation to his family and chaperone his single half sister. He gave her a pitying smile that almost made Kagome burst into tears again and run back to her room, but she resisted. She could do this. She had to do it if she wanted any chance of redemption. If she cowered and let the rumors spread, she would be trapped in her parent's home forever, forever a burden to her family.

The carriage ride to the party was quiet, but not as silent as the ballroom became when Kagome's name was announced when she entered. Trying her best not to blush as the people stared at her before taking up their conversations again, Kagome did her best to keep her head high. Her hands were shaking as she found herself a seat. What if no one asked her to dance? There was a tightening in her chest as she realized she didn't want anyone to ask her to dance. She wanted Inuyasha.

Kagome's concentration was broken by Miroku returning. She hadn't even noticed he'd left her; she had been so busy thinking and wringing her poor fan. Looking up at her half brother, she was in time to see him shove forward an awkward and passively resisting young man.

"Hel—lo Miss Higurashi," he muttered, rubbing the back of his neck in an uncomfortable gesture. He looked at her nervously, then over his shoulder at the subtly glaring Miroku. Returning to Kagome, he said in a slightly shaky voice, "Would you like to dance."

Kagome watched the young man with a raise eyebrow. It was the most amusing thing she had seen all day, and in her present state of mental shambles, she almost laughed at him. She wanted nothing more than to turn him down, but it was clear Miroku had pulled some strings for her and she couldn't afford to be ungrateful at the moment.

"I'd love to dance, Mr.…" Her smile was glittering much more than she felt.

"Houjo, Mr. Houjo," he said, bowing over her hand as he helped her to her feet. Kagome sighed under her breath and looked sadly at Miroku as she was lead out onto the dance floor.

The first thing she noticed as she began to waltz with Mr. Houjo was he was a terrible dancer. He stepped on her toes—sometimes her whole foot—and didn't even seem to notice he was doing it for he never apologized.

The second thing she noticed was how the other couples either danced farther away from her and her partner, or they came closer and purposefully bumped into her.

_A social pariah indeed_, Kagome couldn't help thinking as Mr. Houjo stepped on her foot while at the same time a woman in an unflattering pink dress knocked her so far off balance that she almost tumbled out of her partner's arms, no thanks to Houjo. He was just as indifferent to the people's ill-disguised attacks on Kagome as he was to her now aching toes.

Just when she was sure the night couldn't get any worse, Kagome heard the sound of clapping. The dance wasn't over—the music was still playing—but everyone stopped in their places. A moment later, the announcer called out, louder than he needed to in Kagome's opinion, "Lord Inuyasha and Miss Kikyou!" They appeared at the top of the steps, and began their slow descent into the ballroom looking every bit like the betrothed they were. Kikyou had a red rose pinned up in her hair that matched the one Inuyasha had tucked in his buttonhole. They were smiling and whispering to each other as they walked down the stairs, Kikyou's arm threaded safely in Inuyasha's.

Kagome looked away as they reached the bottom. Inuyasha had glanced her way, and with a pounding heart in her chest, she knew she couldn't meet his eyes. It was too soon.

"Miss Higurashi?" Houjo tried to get her attention as the waltz was starting up again.

Kagome blushed even harder than when she had been introduced as she tried to gather up her skirts and fan. Fumbling she tried to resume the waltz with Houjo, but she no longer had the heart to continue moving with her klutzy partner and the angry couples around her. Needless to say, she was rather distracted when she felt herself crash into a warm body.

Pausing to apologize, she found herself staring at an angry Kikyou and an expressionless Inuyasha. "I'm—I'm sorry." Kagome stuttered, more to Inuyasha than his new fiancée. _Sorry for whatever I did that made you leave._

Inuyasha nodded and tried to move on, but Kikyou wasn't as easily appeased. "You're stepping on my dress." Kagome looked down and saw that sure enough, her own satin shoe had landed on Kikyou's silk dress. Jumping back as far as she could, Kagome muttered an apology.

Kikyou looked down at her dress and sighed. "You've ruined the trim. It has your dirty shoe print on it." Kagome met Kikyou's glare, and she knew what the other woman was demanding even without words. Kneeling down slowly, Kagome did her best to clean off the print of her shoe. She almost had it when she felt a hand on her arm dragging her to her feet.

"Stop that," Inuyasha commanded. He had walked around Kikyou's wide dress, and was still holding Kagome's arm as he spoke to her. Blushing again, Kagome tried to look away, but she found she could not. That caring look in his eyes that had always been there when he looked at her was still there; Kagome had been expecting it to be gone. It was the last time she might ever see him like this and she could not make herself walk away. He looked as if he wanted to say more, but Kikyou was pouting and pulling him away and Houjo was looking concerned and embarrassed for himself, and in the end they were simply pulled apart.

Kagome was too much in a daze to realize they were dancing again, but as they moved, she could hear Kikyou's voice through the sound of the people talking and the music from the ensemble. "Why shouldn't she clean off my dress Inuyasha? When the Season is over, she'll be good for little more than a lady's maid."

Inuyasha lead them deeper into the crowd, and Kagome could not hear his reply. It didn't matter; it was too much for her. Breaking with a relieved Houjo, she hurried off the dance floor.

Kagome made her way to a dark corner. Miroku, who had been watching her activities while talking to Lord Greenswitch a great explorer always looking for adventurous friends, followed closely behind her, trying his best to catch the eye of several of the room's more beautiful women as he went along.

Kagome faced the wall as Miroku came up behind her, gently touching her shoulder. Her chest gave a heave, and he knew without seeing she was crying.

"I should never have come here." Kagome whispered. She clutched her forehead in her palm. "Its too soon. Too soon."

"I'll take you home, Kags," Miroku said softly, taking her hand in his. He pulled her away from the wall so she was looking at him and wiped her tears away with his handkerchief. "It was too soon, and you've been brave enough."

Leading Kagome around the ballroom's rim, neither Miroku nor Kagome noticed the pair of amber eyes following them.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Head as high as she could keep it, Kagome waited on the carriage block for Miroku to come back from ordering the carriage. It was a cold night, and she was tired even if she had barley managed half a dance. Her feet hurt as if she had danced the night away thanks to Houjo's dancing.

At the sound of crunching feet behind her, Kagome turned, expecting to see Miroku, but instead she found Inuyasha looking more than a little sheepish.

"I think I owe you and explanation, Kagome." He said her name so formally, so without its previous warmth, Kagome felt he might as well have said "Miss Higurashi".

Kagome nodded slowly, wishing Miroku would return. She backed away to the far corner of the carriage block, as far from Inuyasha as possible. Part of her wanted to hear his explanation, but the overpowering command from her brain was being sent to her feet, pleading with her to run. It was too soon to hear why he had left, the wound was too fresh too take anymore tearing.

He took a step closer to her. "I've been seeing Kikyou for a while now, and—"

"And you feel she's a better match for you," Miroku's voice called out from the darkness as he came up from behind them. "Please stay away from my sister, Lord Takahashi. I think you've caused her enough trouble for one day." Miroku was removing his neat gloves and smoothing them out with quick strokes. He was angrier than Kagome had seen him in a long time, hands shaking ever so slightly, and deep red spots appearing on his face.

"Miroku, I just wanted to explain—" Inuyasha tried to begin, but was quickly silenced.

"There really is nothing to explain, my Lord," Miroku growled at his once best friend, giving a swift short bow. "You found something better than Kagome, someone more beautiful with more money and a higher rank and older family. You found something better, Inuyasha. Admit it that you are doing nothing noble and leave Kagome alone."

"Miroku," Inuyasha snarled, "I just want a word with Kagome!"

He took a step toward Kagome, but met with Miroku's glove across is face. Inuyasha looked stunned for a moment. "Is that what you really want, my friend?"

Miroku was cold and unmoving. "We are no longer friends, and yes, I am willing to fight you for the honor of my sister and my family."

Kagome stood in shock. Inuyasha and Miroku were going to fight a duel over her? _No, they're not_.

Stepping forward, she firmly placed herself between her half brother and her ex betrothed. "No one is going to fight for me, Inuyasha, Miroku, please?"

She was crying ever so softly, and was surprised when she felt someone hand on her chin and a thumb pushing away her tears. Opening her eyes, she found it was Inuyasha who was looking at her with more than a little concern. "I'm sorry too," he whispered, bowing stiffly, and walked away into the night.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Inuyasha, Rumiko Takahashi does.

**A/N:** For those of you still reading this, this chapter will more than likely be a disappointment, but stick with it. From my outline, the next one should be better. This chapter is really for laying ground work, setting up the plot for the rest of the story. It's a boring necessity. Sorry.

For those of you who like the pleasant, Victorian-ish drama going on here, this chapter will temporarily be the end of it. I feel like a lot of the stuff I write reaches a point where it spontaneously combusts, eats itself, then changes directions, and this fanfic is no exception. However this time the grand plot twist was actually planned. I've also ran the idea by Beatrix B. who approved it, so hopefully everything will go smoothly.

Chapter 3

Kagome woke in the night. She thought she had heard something, but the house was quite and cold. Wrapping up, she found herself drawn to the window. Stepping into the moonbeams that spilled from the glass panes, Kagome looked out into the small scrap of grass functioning as the house's front lawn. What she saw down there caused her to jump back into the shadows.

It was Inuyasha.

It was Inuyasha, looking more than a little sad. He was staring up at her window with the most defeated look on his face she had ever seen, his ears crushed to his head. What was he doing there? Kagome tried to get her heartbeat under control, but it was of no use to remain clam at a time like this. She was about to step back into the moonlight so that he might see her, but before she could move he had turned and walked away.

XXXXXXXXX

Kagome had to drag herself out of bed the next morning. She felt ill and lonely and extremely confused.

But appearances had to be maintained, as her mother and Miroku continuously hinted to her. They meant well, they were trying to save her from a life of spinsterhood, but it was pointless.

Her maid finally came in and helped Kagome dress, lacing up her stays and forcing her into a dress her mother had chosen for the day. Evidently there was to be a guest at brunch that morning, someone to do some business with Miroku and her father.

Kagome slumped down the stairs, feeling too tired to think—much less be sociable. When she had not been thinking of Inuyasha she had been having nightmares about him: the two them in a vast ball room alone, his back to her as he walked away. In her dream, Kagome had tried to call out to him, tried to catch up to him so she could look on his face, but he had only quickened his pace until he finally vanished into the shadows, leaving her completely by herself.

Outside the breakfast room door, Kagome paused at the sound of a male voice from within.

_It begins already…Business with Miroku? I'm sure._

Kagome's head drooped along with her shoulders. She had been set with Inuyasha—not only had she had a good catch, but she had loved the fruits of her labors.

She had thought her betrothed loved her too.

Perhaps he had not had it all…perhaps she had been wrong.

Screwing up her courage, Kagome stepped into the brightly lit breakfast room. There sat her mother, her half brother, and father. Those three belonged there. The fourth figure perched across from her brother did not belong with her family.

She immediately recognized him from the night before. It was Lord Greenswitch.

"Ah, finally awake, I see!" Her father beamed. Along with the other men he rose from the table. Mr. Higurashi sauntered around the edge from his seat at the head and clasped his daughter in his arms. After a moment, he stepped back and displayed her to Lord Greenswitch, his arm supporting her shoulders as he guided her to her place next to the noble. "My daughter Kagome, m'lord," he smiled and Kagome curtsied deeply. When she straightened she found Lord Greenswitch's eye on hers.

Not on her so much as delving into her soul, in a way that made her feel he was getting a good look at her undergarments. Kagome looked down quickly to make sure she had remembered to put on her dress, and was more than a little relieved when she found she the pale fabric of her frock instead of the white of her lace corset.

Blushing, Kagome took her seat, and the men resumed their conversation.

"As I was saying, Mr. Higurashi, it _is_ a risky investment, but if we are successful you can not even imagine the returns you will receive," Lord Greenswitch smiled, his blue eyes flashing as he spoke.

As he looked at her father, Kagome took a chance to examine their guest's profile. His deep black hair was long and pulled behind his head in a leather clasp. He wore what could only be an expensive morning jacket of an unusual blue hue, which only worked to accentuate his blue-blue eyes.

"Well, Kouga, I'm not sure." Mr. Higurashi grumbled as he leaned back in his chair.

"If you would be willing to invest father, I would not mind accompanying Lord Greenswitch." Miroku offered. Kagome stared at her brother. She felt jealousy flare beneath the layers of lace and bindings. He could simply pick up leave, and she would still be…stuck.

"I could always use an extra man," Kouga Greenswitch offered, nodding to Miroku in a sign of thanks.

Mr. Higurashi leaned even further back. His chair made a groan. "I'm still not sure, m'lord."

"If we find nothing, and your son gives an unsatisfactory report of how I run my expedition, Mr. Higurashi I will offer you a quarter back on your investment."

The chair squealed in pain as Mr. Higurashi considered the preposition even more. "Fifty-five percent."

Kouga scowled and shot a glance at Miroku to gage his friend's reaction. "I'm being generous, but thirty-five percent."

The chair was screaming in pain under the gentle rocking of her father's weight as he considered Kouga's words and Kagome was sure the piece of furniture was going to collapse. "Even with that, I'll have to be dipping into my children's inheritance. Fifty percent is all I can offer."

Kouga's lip twitched. "Forty percent, Mr. Higurashi. I don't think I can offer you much more if I come back empty handed. I might not even be able to repay that back for sometime…"

"Forty-five percent within three years of your return and my son tags along, and you have a deal my boy." Mr. Higurashi's chair legs came crashing down to the floor with a heavy thud.

Kouga looked a little ill. "I'm not sure—"

Mr. Higurashi cut him off. "What's five percent of an investment between friends, m'lord?"

"Fine, you have a deal. I'll have all the papers written up so you can sign. And I'll have to add Miroku to my roster, but that won't be a problem…"

"Can I go too?" Kagome's quite voice cut though the lull in the conversation.

"Kagome!" Her mother cooed with an embarrassed laugh.

"You fancy yourself an adventurer, Miss Kagome?" Kouga asked, smirking. He looked at her in the same way most men looked at her, as though she were a child. She couldn't help but remember Inuyasha was rarely so condescending.

"I need to get out of London."

As soon as she spoke the words, Kagome knew she should not have been so abrupt. Lord Greenswitch looked taken aback at her words. That coupled with a gasp from her mother and the sound of her father clearing his throat made her cheeks burn, and Kagome lowered her head.

"My daughter has a fast tongue, as you can see, Lord Greenswitch," Mr. Higurashi tried to cover for her slip up. "I doubt she even knows what she says half the time, but as an explorer you must excuse the anxiousness of youth to see the world."

Kouga swallowed, glancing at Kagome then back at her father. "I understand what you mean, but surely you can not be saying that a woman would wish for a place outside the protective sphere of her better male relatives?"

Mr. Higurashi took in his dejected looking daughter and the warning glare his wife had shot him before going back to her morning tea. There was no safe answer.

"Of course not, Lord Kouga," he said as friendly as possible, knowing he had just nailed another plug into the casket of his wife's good opinion. "But what person can resist the temptations for adventure in a far off land?"

Kouga gave a sideways glance to the now-quiet woman beside him. He shuddered at what he was about to say. "You wish your daughter to accompany me too, along with your son?" If Higurashi answered in the affirmative, there was little he could do but accept the woman aboard his ship. He needed the fat man's money far too much to refuse him on such a matter.

Again, Mr. Higurashi looked to Mrs. Higurashi. She gave the slightest of shakes to her head. "No, I'm afraid, I can not go that far. Kagome is too young, and as yet _unmarried_." Mr. Higurashi did not need his wife's help in knowing when to hint at the important things…

At the other end of the table, Mrs. Higurashi silently moaned at her husband's lack of tact. They were trying find Kagome a husband, not throw her at any man who happened by their breakfast table.

Kouga visibly relaxed. The Higurashi family was almost desperate enough to send their daughter along with him in the hopes that the two of them would become _closer_, but not completely without hope it seemed. Not that he would mind being closer to Kagome Higurashi, a famed beauty in her own right, but he didn't want something Inuyasha Takahashi had used.

A short while later, Kouga was able to break away from the family, again promising to bring by papers for the arrangement.

The moment the front door swung shut, the quiet tension that had been building in the breakfast room burst.

Mr. Higurashi let out a deep, guttural sigh, looking to what his wife would do. Mrs. Higurashi looked displeased and set her dainty tea cup down with a clang. Miroku looked from his father to his step mother and finally to his half sister.

It was Mrs. Higurashi who spoke first. "I know Kagome this is not an easy burden to bear, nor do I believe you should have to bear it. But what are you thinking? Asking to go away with Lord Greenswitch like that? He knows as well as we do you need to "get out of London", but you did not have to say so." Kagome could tell her mother was more disappointed in her behavior than angry.

"I'm sorry mama. I just—I," Kagome stifled a sniffle. "I don't want to stay here any more. After last night, everyone staring at me, the whispers, and then when I had to _see_ them together—I can't stay in London."

"Kagome, if you want a husband—"

"I doubt I'll find him here, mama. London looks at me like used goods." Both Mr. Higurashi and Miroku shifted unpleasantly in their seats, but Kagome's mother held firm.

"Don't give up hope yet, Kagome. Something can be done." She leaned across the table and squeezed her daughter's hand, smiling her smile of encouragement. Kagome tried to smile back, but it was little more than a twitching of her lips.

She would go along with her mother's plans for now, but she knew she had to leave London at all costs. There was no way around it, and a plan was already forming in her mind.

XXXXXXXX

Some indiscernible time later…

Mrs. Higurashi sighed a little sadly. The past four months had gone by so quickly for one child while at the same time they trudged by painfully for the other. Miroku had been so buried in the plans for his part in Lord Greenswitch's expedition he had not had time to think of anything else. He had been able to push passed his anger at Lord Inuyasha's betrayal, and he seemed much happier. When they had said their goodbyes to him as he began his journey with Lord Kouga that morning he had seemed without a care in the world.

Mrs. Higurashi wished the same for her stepson could have been true for her daughter. Kagome had slunk around the house, terrified to go to the parties, large dinners, and social events that would be required for her to find a husband. At first, Mrs. Higurashi had been firm, practically dragging her daughter along with her. But after no short while she had found herself as against leaving the safety of their own home as Kagome. The girls Kagome's age, ones her daughter had once claimed as friends, had been outwardly hostile. Young men refused to dance with her at balls, sit by her at dinners and discussions. She was utterly and completely shunned.

Mrs. Higurashi felt as though she was trying to sell a leper in a marriage market, and she blamed only one person. Inuyasha Takahashi.

His actions had not only caused the total social rejection of her daughter, but he was the source of Kagome's depression. Yes, she could call it depression. And the dark mood surrounding the young girl was only getting worse.

There was a loud crash somewhere up stairs, breaking Mrs. Higurashi's thoughts. Standing, she made her way up to the second floor. Everything was perfectly still, perfectly in place. Kagome had gone to bed early after saying her goodbyes to her half brother, her husband was out at a friend's, the servants were in their quarters. But what had made the noise?

Softy opening the door to Kagome's room, the first thing Mrs. Higurashi noticed was the fact the room was freezing. But as she stepped inside, she saw all the windows were closed…

Her eyes fell on the large shards of glass lying on the floor. Lifting her gaze, she found the window nearest Kagome's bed was broken. Mrs. Higurashi hurried to the sleeping lump under the covers. A lump that did not move or in the end turn out to be human. Under her daughter's bed spread, she only found some carefully arranged pillows.

Mrs. Higurashi rushed back to the window, looking out into the night. There was nothing out on the lawn such as the form of a young woman, and for that Mrs. Higurashi sighed in relief. But as she looked on further, she could see the short drop it would be to the porch roof just below the window. Only a little way down really—a drop even someone as short as Kagome could make with ease. From the porch roof, a sturdy tree grew on either side. One had had its branches removed and would be very difficult to climb in any case. But the one on the other side still boasted branches that lead directly to the ground. Her fearful mother's mind could not help drawing farfetched ideas…Kagome would not have done something so rash as to run away, would she?

Had Kagome left them?

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Far away from the safety of the Higurashi house, in the belly of a very large ship rocking on the flimsy surface of the ocean, huddled a small figure of ambiguous gender. Cold and afraid, it was hidden deep in the cargo hold with the horses. Occasionally a little sob could be heard from it, followed soon by a resolute sniffle, after which it would raise its head in defiance to the fear it was feeling.

XXXXXXX

**A/N:** See what I mean? Very boring chapter for you guys I'm sure. The next one really has to be better because it can't be any worse than this one. I still have a few things to lay down for the plot, but I promise the story is going to start moving on. Sango is going to show up, if not at the end of the next chapter, then in Chapter 5, and that should be fun.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Inuyasha, Rumiko Takahashi does. That simple, bitch.

Chapter 4

Miroku and Kouga sat leisurely in Lord Greenswitch's cabin, discussing the details of their arrival. It would not be for some time, but already they were looking for ways to pass the long sea voyage they were undertaking.

"The natives," Kouga was saying, "the times I have visited, alternate from being overly welcoming to very hostile. There are rumors of a band of women of exceptional beauty, but no one who has come across them as ever returned unscathed."

Miroku set up with interest. "Exceptional beauty?"

"But evidently deadly," Kouga reaffirmed.

Miroku was about to prod for a description of these women when there was a heavy knock on the door. Kouga called out for the person to enter. Immediately the door was flung open and two of the ships workers barged in, shoving a small, shivering form before front of them.

It took Miroku a few seconds to recognize his own sister. "Kagome!" Jumping to his feet he tried to rush to her, but one of the men stepped in his path.

"We found her in the cargo hold with the horses," the man explained. "I don't know how she got down there or what she is doing on this ship, but I do know she has no place here."

Miroku shoved the man out of his way and pulled Kagome to him, walking them slowly backward away from the sailors.

"Captain told us to bring her to you, m'lord." The man continued. "What do you want us to do with her?"

Miroku glared at Kouga, warning in a look if any harm befell Kagome, Mr. Higurashi's investment would be quickly revoked.

"Leave us!" Kouga growled. The two sailors shrugged the shoulders and shuffled out of Lord Greenswitch's cabin.

As soon as they were gone, Kouga turned on Miroku. "What is she doing here?" He demanded.

Miroku gently pushed Kagome from his embraced. He was just as angry with her for being on the ship as Kouga was, but he was also worried.

"What are you doing here, Kagome?"

Kagome shivered. She was freezing—the cargo hold had been anything but warm. Now it looked as though Miroku was unhappy with her. He never yelled or was violent in his anger, but at the moment he was giving her a look that made her want to crawl back down to sit with the horses. She had not expected him to be thrilled to see her…she hadn't really thought at all.

"I wanted to get away." Kagome said with a sob. "I had to get away, Miroku. I was being a burden to mom and dad. People were cutting me out. You know I couldn't stay."

Miroku sighed. This again. The entire time he had been planning his journey with Lord Greenswitch Kagome had been brooding in the house. At first he had thought it to be her own fault, but even his stepmother had said the invitations coming in for Kagome had greatly dwindled after Inuyasha had cut off their engagement and they had stopped coming almost altogether after that disastrous ball.

"I understand why you left, but you didn't have to take such drastic measures Kagome. Mom and dad will be worried sick and people will only start new rumors about you!"

Kagome's head drooped a little more. "I couldn't stay. It was worrying mom till the point she was getting sick—you saw that." Her eyes dropped to her clinched hands. "Don't worry. I left them and note and told them where I was."

Kouga had been watching the interchange in silence. This was not good.

Stepping forward, he cleared his throat, bringing attention to the fact he was still in the room. Both Miroku and Kagome looked at him. Miroku was clearly annoyed by the interruption, but Kagome at least looked sufficiently afraid. As she should be.

"Well Mr. Higurashi, what are we going to do about this? She can't possible stay." Kouga finished his statement with a small chuckle. He glared at Kagome before turning his attention back to Miroku.

Miroku looked from Kouga to Kagome. "Well unless your planning to turn the ship back to London, there really isn't anything I can do, m'lord. Even when we stop at the last port before the jungle for supplies, I can't just drop her off on the dock. I have no way of knowing she would be able to get back to London safely unaccompanied."

"She certainly got on the ship alone without any trouble."

"That's different Kouga, and you know it. Our plans continue as they stood before. Kagome can take care of herself just as well as you or I."

Kouga snorted. "A woman? Please. She'll slow us down. She won't survive out in the jungle."

"Kouga, if I have to get off the ship to escort my sister home, I will take my father's investment capital with me. I will be responsible for Kagome, and that will just have to be good enough for you." Looking over at Kagome his brow scrunched together a little more. "I'm not happy with the situation either, but if you want this go as planned, she'll just have to come too."

Kouga took in what Miroku was saying. It was too bad the woman was so damned headstrong, but her brother was right. She would not be able to make it back to London on her own, and he needed Miroku as much as he needed his father's money.

"She had better not slow us down," Kouga growled, but his gaze at Kagome was ever-so-slightly softer.

On the other hand, it was going to be a long voyage and expedition, and having some female company might have its advantages—especially from used goods like Kagome Higurashi. Miroku came with invested money and his sister would have to pay her own toll for her passage.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

The members of the crew who were standing as lookouts watched as a small back closet which had once held some ancient and useless cleaning supplies was ordered to be cleaned out in the middle of the night. Once everything had been removed, a bed was squished in along with a thin and gaunt looking boy. Mr. Higurashi followed the youth in, locking the door behind him.

As soon as he had fasten the bolt in the door, Miroku turned to his sister. "I don't even want to know what you were thinking." He raised a hand at her protest. "I understand your reasons, but I can't see what was going through your head when you ran away from home."

Kagome sat on the end of her little cot. She was still freezing from being in the cargo hold, but at least her tiny cabin was a little warmer. For a moment it seemed she was going to ignore his lecture, but then words began to spill from her lips in a rapid torrent that her brother had a suspicion had never been voiced before: "It wasn't just the fact I was being ostracized, Miroku. I couldn't stand to be in the same city as Inuyasha knowing he was with _her_. That he gave me up for someone else. I know I was being selfish, but I don't think I could have stayed."

Miroku stared down at his sister. Even in the dim candle light, even though she was silent, he knew she was crying. She had not spoke of things in these terms before, and it surprised him. When ever she had mentioned feeling trapped or needing to escape before, it had always been understood she was afraid she would become a spinster. Kagome had never said she was upset at the loss of Inuyasha for his own sake, and in his anger at his friend's betrayal Miroku had forgotten Kagome loved the man.

"Why didn't you say that before Kagome?"

"Would you have listened to me if I said I had to get away because I was jealous and heartbroken? It was easier just to say I needed a new marriage market." She turned her tear-stained face to him, attempting to give him a small smile but failed horribly. The corners of her mouth refused to stay up in the happy expression and her face quickly crumbled.

In spite of her weeping, Miroku felt a wave of anger at her sister. Of all the foolish things to do! She had been reckless with her life, their parents had to be worried sick, and for what? The attentions and jealousy for one man. He had always thought her stronger than the actions she had committed.

He turned to go. "Lock this after I leave, and we'll decide what to do with you in the morning. At least until we get off this ship, I want you to stay dressed as a boy. He glanced at her outfit, recognizing several pieces of his own clothing. She had done a fairly descent job of cross dressing, if he did say so himself. Still…there was something bothering him.

Wandering his eyes up her body, they rested on the crown of her bowed head. Her hair. It was gone.

In an instant he was at her side, taking her head roughly in his hands. "What have you done to your hair!" Her locks did not look as though they had been cut, but her hair was no where near as long as it had been.

Kagome sighed, reaching up to her neck. Her hand dipped into the high collar of Miroku's abandoned overcoat and drug forth a sizable braid.

"I thought about cutting it," she spoke in a tired voice, "But then who would want me?" She gave him a bitter smile—this one dry of tears—and Miroku felt any anger toward her vanish. Kagome was being Kagome. She was doing what she had to do to take care of herself. He might not like her actions, but there was little he could do to control her.

Sitting down next to her on the bed, he wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Things will work out, Kags. I promise when we get back to London, I'll help you fix this. Everything has been so busy preparing for me to leave, I guess I haven't really been here to help you."

Kagome nodded with a watery smile, leaning her head onto her brother's shoulder.

"Thank you for letting me stay, Miroku."

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Time passed ever so slowly aboard the little ship heading toward the jungle. Kagome had to be confined almost solely to her cabin. Miroku felt he had to keep her separated from the members of the crew for her own safety. So Kagome spent most of her days reading Miroku's infinite collection of books, looking forward to her meals and the walks Miroku would take her one around the decks to break up the monotony.

She did have the occasional visit from Lord Greenswitch who would accompany Miroku. Kagome was unsure of the man, he made her feel extremely uncomfortable. At first he had glared at her, and after Miroku had made it clear she had to stay, he had become obnoxiously friendly. He set her on her guard, and Kagome was not particularly pleased with the feeling. What made it worse was that Miroku also didn't seemed to trust the man, but had said there was little she could do but stay on her toes around his lordship.

They made their way safely passed the last port for supplies, and then the days seemed to fly by. Before Kagome realized it, they had reached the jungle port, and she was free from the windowless closet.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Through the thick forest foliage a pair of eyes watched as the tiny rowboat landed on the rocky shore of the coast.

Though they were not missionaries like the last boat, they were still unwelcome strangers. The eyes blinked once and continued their watch.

This was not good. It had taken forever to get rid of those men with their Bibles and their patriarchal god. The lot of them were lucky they had not been introduced more intimately to her boomerang.

A twig snapped on the path behind her and the woman spun quickly, her body tense and ready to fight. She visibly relaxed when she found only one of her comrades on the path. _One of the few people who could sneak up on me…_She thought with a small smile.

"Kaede wishes for news," the small messenger girl spoke with a low bow.

Sango sighed. It was never easy to break bad news, especially to one's leader. "Come see," she said, pulling back the branch so the girl could see the ship on the night sea.

The messenger, a child called Koharu, gasped at the sight of the ship.

"I know," Sango read the girl's thoughts. "I can't see why they would want to return either. They must like a beating," she smirked. To say the Amazon tribe had greeted the missionaries with open arms was a blatant lie. The men of faith had had a strong will, but in the end, the Amazon's _will_ had proved resilient, as had their bows, arrows, clubs, and spears.

"Tell Kaede there is a ship in the cove and I suggest we should prepare for battle. Soon," she added after a moment. Giving Koharu a small shove, she turned back to watch the ship.

This was definitely not good.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Miroku breathed a sigh of relief as soon as land came into sight. He was tired of being sea sick, exhausted of making sure Kagome was safe, and sick to death of listening to Kouga's never ending and always shifting plans for mining, collecting cultural data, and a multitude of other schemes to return his father's money with a profit.

Miroku was thinking more and more that this had been a mistake. Even if Kagome had not been there to get in the way, it would still be a mistake. Kouga might be able to talk pretty, but it was becoming more and more clear he was leading the Higurashi family on a wild goose chase.

And the investment money was not the worst of it.

Kagome in her haze of grief could not see it, but it was painfully clear Kouga was courting his sister. Miroku leaned on the boat's railing, staring out onto the quickly growing patch of land before them. No, courting was the best-case scenario, and Miroku did not feel hopeful. He had a feeling Kouga was toying with Kagome.

No ordinary man would be interested in Kagome, so why would Kouga? If Miroku's instincts were right—and they usually were—Kouga was using Kagome to pass the time. He flirted with her unabashedly, taking her out for walks on the deck, making her paper flowers, gently teasing—all the things a suitor would do.

Only Miroku was fairly sure Kouga was not looking for a wife in Kagome.

When the supply of liquor had still been in bountiful on the ship, Kouga had drank with happy abandon. In his inebriated moments, he became quite the chatterbox.

"Your sister, man…a shame about her and His Highness," spitting as he referred to Inuyasha. "No one would want her now…well they'll still want her, just not in any reslwectable way."

Miroku grimaced at the memory. Good indeed to separate the two of them. Looking over his shoulder, he found Kagome and Kouga making their way toward him. Kagome had her hair tucked into the collar of her shirt, looking every bit the cabin boy. She looked a little more happy than usual, and Miroku prayed it was because they were about to get off the ship, and not caused by whatever it was Kouga was whispering into her ear.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Inuyasha; that belongs to Rumiko Takahashi and Viz Productions. The End.

**A/N:** Thanks to my anonymous reviewer who caught this: the crew seems to know Kagome is a girl and on board the ship, so there doesn't seem to be a reason for her go in drag. I wasn't as clear as I should have been. Only the two sailors who pull her out of the cargo hold know Kagome is a girl. Everyone else sees her from a distance, and from that angle, she appears male. Miroku is being very cautious with his sister trapped on a ship filled with sexually frustrated men. This is set in Georgian/Victorian England for fuck's sake. Women were sequestered and protected. I'll add something to this chapter to make things a bit more clear. Thanks for the save reviewer guy.

Chapter 5

Inuyasha's hands shook as he raised the doorknocker, letting it down to clang heavily. He had not been this nervous knocking on this door since the first time he proposed to Kagome Higurashi. In spite of his jitters, he couldn't help but smile lopsidedly at the memory.

It was several moments before a worried-eyed maid opened the door. "Mr. Tak-Takahashi?" She spoke in a tiny voice.

"I was wondering if I could see Miss Higurashi?" Inuyasha spoke carefully. The maid's behavior was not what he was expecting, and it made him nervous.

"She-she's not," the girl stopped herself abruptly, recovering the indifferent façade expected of her. "Please allow me to direct you to the morning room. Mrs. Higurashi will see you momentarily."

She turned to lead him into the house but Inuyasha's hand lashed out, pulling the girl back to face him. "I didn't say I wanted to see Kagome's mother, I want to see Kagome…" He was going to continue his rant, but a look in the maid's eyes stopped him. She looked and smelled afraid. "What's wrong? Did something happen to Kagome?"

"Inuyasha!" Mrs. Higurashi's voice trilled from the stairs inside the house. She had just been coming down from the second floor after writing several letters. The woman was doing everything she could to both find her daughter and to make sure no one noticed the girl's absence, but it was taking the toll on her health: she had not slept well since finding Kagome's letter more than two weeks ago. Mrs. Higurashi was tired and worried and could not help but to skip the formalities when it came to the reason why her little girl was missing.

"What are you doing here?" She demanded, nodding kindly at the same time to the maid to dismiss her.

Inuyasha's ears sunk into his head. Something was not right. He had seen Mrs. Higurashi several times in public after his dismissal of Kagome and always she had greeted him with cold indifference—never the barely concealed anger the woman was showing now.

"I—I came to see K—Kagome." It seemed to be his turn to stutter.

"I'm afraid she has left for some time, Mr. Takahashi. Even if she were here, I doubt she would see you." As she spoke, Mrs. Higurashi stood up to her full height, looking rigid and proud. Her fingers were gently interlaced before her, but Inuyasha noted they trembled from time to time. "I do not believe we have anything more we could possibly say to one another, Mr. Takahashi. I bid you a good day." With a speed he would not have credited her for, Mama Higurashi stepped back into her house and would have slammed the door in Inuyasha's face if he had not been fast enough to catch it.

"I'm sorry, but I need to speak to Kagome!" He breathed out, pushing against the door in an effort to keep it open as Mrs. Higurashi continued to try to close it. "Could you at least give me an address to which I could write to her?"

"What could you possible have to say to my daughter?"

Inuyasha faltered and the door almost closed before he could catch it again. "Please, could I explain it to you in private?"

Mrs. Higurashi relaxed her hold on the door when she saw Inuyasha was no longer forcefully trying to gain access to her home. She wanted to turn him down, but on lookers were already slowing down, some stopping to openly gape at the scene he was creating.

"Very well," she said softly. As if their family didn't have enough problems with gossip. It was a shame everyone else's lives were running smoothly—another scandal would have been a blessing for the Higurashi family at the moment. It was unfortunate Kagome was providing the next batch of kindle for the rumor mill with her disappearance.

Mrs. Higurashi stepped back from the doorway, allowing Inuyasha to pass though. He waited for her to shut and latch the door then followed Kagome's mother into the morning room. The smaller one they used for receiving guests they preferred to remove from their home as quickly as possible. The message was not lost of the hanyou.

After offering Inuyasha a seat that he accepted, Mrs. Higurashi remained standing. When he did not immediately begin to explain himself, she prompted him.

"I'm afraid Mr. Takahashi I do not have all day for you."

Inuyasha gulped. The woman had always been so kind and welcoming. He had never believed it to be an act to keep him comfortable so he would marry Kagome, and he still did not believe she had faked any affection. Her anger towards him only showed how badly he had screwed things up. Well, he was here to try and set things right as best he could.

"I wanted to talk to Kagome…" he tried again, but her mother was not listening.

"Do you think you have any right to speak to my daughter?" Mrs. Higurashi asked curtly.

Inuyasha paused to take a deep breath. He was getting frustrated. He knew Kagome was in the house—probably up in her room. He knew there had to have been orders given to brush him off, to send him away.

Still, reason for once calmed him. He had to get on her mother's good side if he wanted to see Kagome.

"No, but I'm asking to see her. I want…" he tried to think of the right thing to say. He couldn't lose this chance. "I know I screwed up, but I want fix things."

"And how can you do that?"

"I—I want her to ask her to marry me—again."

Mrs. Higurashi had been running a single finger along the edge of her mantle, checking for dust. The moment she heard Inuyasha's words, she froze, her back going extremely taunt as her breath caught in her throat.

"What did you say?" She hissed.

Inuyasha was feeling as though the room was becoming extremely hot. He didn't want to have this conversation with the woman before him. It was going to be bad enough talking to Kagome.

"I came to ask for you daughter's hand in marriage."

Whirling on him, Mama Higurashi glared at Inuyasha. "Do you have any idea what you have done to that girl?" Inuyasha was shocked by the normally mild-tempered woman's outward rage. The closest he could get to speech was opening and closing his mouth like a fish out of water. "Cat got your tongue? Well I'll tell you. You destroyed her. You ruined her and I'm not talking about her reputation! Kagome couldn't stand to be in London anymore and now she's gone and—"

She froze. She feared she had already said too much. All the fury whooshed out of her, and Mrs. Higurashi's hung her head.

"Kagome's gone and what?" It was Inuyasha's turn to be irate. Not at Kagome's mother, but at the growing fear in his gut. He stood, pushing his jacket back so he could fist his hands into pockets of his pants. He walked cautiously around the room, then to the door, sucking in discreet sniffs all the while. He couldn't smell a fresh whiff of Kagome anywhere. Not even from the draughts around the door. Sliding the entrance panel open, he shoved his head outside the room and took in a deep breath. Still only a stale wave of Kagome's scent.

"Where the fuck is Kagome?"

"Inuyasha! Your language!" Mrs. Higurashi reprimanded, but didn't answer.

Inuyasha turned back into the room.

"Where is she?"

"Inuyasha…" Mrs. Higurashi sighed, finally giving in to taking a seat. "It's a long story…"

XXXXXXXX

Kouga sighed. He was sitting on a rowboat with Miroku and Miss Higurashi.

He was excited to get Kagome off the ship. He was tired of paying off the men who knew she was, well, a she. Miroku had decided _he_ was responsible for Kagome's protection, it being Kouga's ship and all and because Lord Greenswitch was the one with the cash on hand. He had had to keep the vast majority of the crew convinced she was a boy so they wouldn't get any ideas. That had not been too difficult, he had only had to bribe the Capitan and the two men who had found her so they wouldn't talk. Still, it seemed like a waste of time seeing how Miroku kept her under lock and key when he wasn't there to baby-sit his sister personally.

Kagome's seclusion had made it near impossible for him to get close to her, but he had done his best.

Turning to look over his shoulder he gave Kagome a quick smile, which she uneasily returned before glancing at her brother who shot Kouga a glare, telling him with the look to keep his distance from the girl.

Miroku Higurashi was going to have realize his sister was not getting a free ride.

Lord Greenswitch's concentration was broken when the small craft scraped against the shallows of the beaches shore. Already tents were springing up all over the beach. Kouga smiled, pleased things in at least one area were going in the direction he wished.

XXXXXXXX

"…So as far as we know, she's with Miroku."

Mrs. Higurashi finished her story with a sniffle. She was seated across from Inuyasha, clutching a handkerchief in her hands, occasionally using it to wipe her eyes.

Inuyasha leaned back into the couch completely unsure of what he should say. This was his fault; there was no mistaking that much. He was to blame for Kagome running away for a million different reasons.

He might have earned his guilt, but he was not going to sit by and let the problem grow.

"Where did they go?"

Mrs. Higurashi raised her eyes to the man sitting across from her. "Excuse me?"

"Lord Greenswitch and Miroku…Kagome is with them. Where did they go?"

"You are thinking of going after them?"

Inuyasha nodded gravely. "I will bring Kagome back."

Mrs. Higurashi sized him up with a wary gaze. "How can you be so sure she would come back with you?"

Inuyasha's ears flattened once more to his skull. Looking down at the floor, he spoke quietly, unable to meet Mama Higurashi's gaze. "I would like to at least try. Only Kagome can decide, but I want to give her a chance to have a choice."

Thinking over his words for some time, Mrs. Higurashi finally nodded. "I can tell you where they went, and show you maps my husband was given." She paused to purse her lips together. Cautiously she looked back up at the hanyou, "Please bring my daughter back safe."

XXXXXXXXX

Sango crouched in the bushes. Her face was painted for war in colors to give her strength and speed. Her heart was beating rapidly, but not in fear: a good adrenaline rush was lighting her veins on fire with impatience. She was angry these men had come again to her territory, but she hoped that the full-frontal assault she was about to launch would convince them to leave. She had persuaded the council this time not to waste time on the peace offerings and promises as they had done in the past.

The thought of the council made Sango's scowl deepen. It was true she was an outsider, an abandoned child from the earliest visitors to the shores, but had she not proved herself over the years? With the more resent coming of the missionaries and fortune seekers she had been the leading advocate for dispensing them a swift death—even if they were technically her own people. Her loyalty lay with her tribe, not her birth.

Night was falling and for once the strangers had taken precautions. Fires were burning brightly, tents were up in tight clusters, and sentries were already on watch.

No matter. The things they thought would keep them safe could also be their ruin.

Sango glanced over her shoulder at her tiny war party: twenty women all-together—ten of their best, ten rookies who were ready to cut their teeth in battle. They were not going to obliterate the newcomers in one sweep as Sango had wished. No tonight, the small group of women Sango lead was going to cause as much damage as possible and pray the Englishmen left. If they did, that would be wonderful. But if they chose to stay after the attack, at least they would have no idea of the full strength the natives were capable of.

Now was the time. The Englishmen had settled in for the night; only those keeping watch were outside of the tents.

Sango let out the call to signal to alert her warriors to be ready. She wanted to make sure the time was right…

Nothing in the tiny camp moved, the sentries looked bored.

_I'll give them something to occupy their time._ Sango sneered.

She called out into the night and moments later the camp of the Englishmen was swamped by the war party.

XXXXXXXXX

Kagome had just finished brushing out her hair for the evening when the night, so quite with only the sounds of the forest around them, was bayoneted by the most bloodcurdling scream Kagome had ever imagined in her darkest nightmares.

She had been getting ready for bed in the large tent she shared with Miroku. Her brother had insisted she be given her own room near him—as best as possible: she had a corner to herself, protected by two separate curtains.

The moment the war cry sounded, Kagome was on her feet and running toward Miroku. She nearly collided him in the small room created between the two seclusion curtains.

"Miroku!" She cried. "What was that?"

Miroku's normally passive and serene face was lined with worry. "I don't know, but I want you to get dressed, and then we'll go find Lord Greenswitch."

Kagome nodded, disappearing into her area again to put Miroku's pants and jacket on once more over his shirt she wore as a baggy nightgown. She appeared again as quickly as she could, dressed looking very much like a boy with her braid tucked into the coat.

Miroku had stepped over to take her hand when the flap to their tent was thrown open, and a blood-hungry Sango stepped inside.

XXXXXXXXXX

**A/N: **Yeah, I know a bit of a cliffhanger, but I wanted to get this out there. I know I usually alternate between stories when I update, but this chapter just flowed. I sat down to write the beginning while I had it in mind, and I really couldn't stop, so here you go. Also, I have a bit of writer's block on what happens next, so I thought I would post this now, otherwise it might sit on my computer for months while I try to think of something. Then again, it could come to me in an hour. Fucking writer's block….

Any one reading "Marriage of Convenience for Whom?"? I'm working on chapter nine, but like this story, the end of the chapter is tricky. However, unlike this one I can't really stop it where I have it now. So be patient, I'm working on it, I'm almost done, and hopefully it will be out soon.


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Inuyasha; that belongs to Rumiko Takahashi and Viz Productions.

**A/N:** Before someone gets confused, I think I need to make a note on the time line in this chapter. I'm going to say it took two weeks to a month for Kouga's ship to get where it needed to be (no, I don't know where they went—use your imagination). So that means the scenes with Inuyasha in London in this and the last chapter are happening at most three weeks behind the stuff going on in the jungle. Don't worry, he'll catch up quick.

Also, there will be a total Fushigi Yuugi (which I also don't own) moment in this chapter. See if you can spot it! You have been mother fucking warned for the brain rot of F Y.

Chapter 6

Kagome froze, her hand half way to her brother's. In the entrance to their tent stood a woman, tall and fierce with the backdrop of the tents burning behind her in the night. Over her shoulder was slung what could only be described as a gigantic piece of curved wood.

She yelled something unintelligible at them, stalking farther into the tent, eyes glowing venomously.

Kagome backed up to be closer to Miroku. In one smooth motion, he pushed his half-sister behind him, keeping his eyes on the intruder all the while. "We mean you no harm," he tried to speak in soothing tones, but the woman was still stalking them. She moved in a wide half circle, slowly moving closer and closer with every pass she made.

Her eyes were dark in the dim light, but they flashed from time to time.

Miroku tried again, "Please? Can we talk this over?"

Sango paused, the slightest of creases appearing down her forehead. She tried to remember the words, unused for so long. Torturing those missionaries had only recalled the most violent and foul curses to her tongue. At the moment, she only wanted to give a warning. "I speak not with you. My home leave!"

Miroku sucked in a sharp breath. "You speak English?" Kouga had told him missionaries had been there before them, but he had not been expecting to hear anything intelligible from the mouths of the natives.

The furrows in Sango's brow deepened before they disappeared completely. She didn't have time for this! "Leaf!" She roared.

The two siblings exchanged looks before locking their eyes back on their attacker. Miroku took tiny, cautious glances about, looking for anything he could use as a weapon. There was really nothing in the tent—they hadn't had time to unpack before night fell. Shifting uncomfortably, Miroku felt his foot bump against something. Without thinking about it he dropped his eyes to see an unused tent pole lying on the ground. If only he could reach it…

Quickly he returned his eyes up to the woman prowling in front of them. Outside in the night screams could be heard along with the sounds of running feet. Running feet occasionally slowing abruptly with a heavy thud on the beach ground. The woman was watching him, and Miroku knew she had seen him find the tent pole.

The woman grinned, her lips dripping with malice and the thrill of the fight, and Miroku made the snap decision: it was now or never.

In one fluid movement he turned shot his hand out behind him, dragging Kagome to the ground with him as he moved for the pole. The girl lost her balance and sprawled out, crumpled on the floor. At the same time, Miroku grabbed up the post and half stood, only having time to grasp it in front of him to brace for the impact as the woman was already on top of him swinging her weapon.

XXXXXXX

Inuyasha left the Higurashi house with a much lighter heart but still many problems weighed on his mind. _If anything happens to Kagome, it will be my fault._

His first instinct was to find the fastest ship to trail after Kouga, but for once he was actually thinking. Kagome might not have even made it to the ship—there was always that possibility. Something could have happened to her on the way, or she could have even mistaken Kouga's ship for another.

But this was Kagome…curious but cautious. She had seen the ship, she knew her way around London better than most women. There was no doubt in his mind she could have made the journey, but then there was the fact she had to go to the _docks_. He did not trust the sort of people she would have had to pass by.

Walking down the street, Inuyasha thought fast…Kagome would have been smart, she would have taken a cab, at least an omni bus. From what Mrs. Higurashi had said, Kagome had gone up stairs the moment they had returned from dropping Miroku off at his ship. Considering the fact the ship was not scheduled to leave until late that evening, Kagome would have had more than enough time to make the trip back.

Inuyasha made up his mind. Turning down another street, he began counting the houses until he came to one particularly peculiar Georgian terrace. As much as he didn't want to, he needed to see his brother. Sesshomaru was eccentric at best, and though he could easily afford to live in the most posh areas of London, but instead he had opted to stay in Bloomsbury. Still very respectable—Kagome's family lived there—but it was not a place for the Takahashis….

Then again, his brother did own the entire row of Georgian terraces, which was a strong example of the typical Takahishi luxury. Raising the knocker, he let it fall carelessly. Though he was worried about Kagome, he was no longer anxious with the prospect of seeing her. Now his task was protecting Kagome, and that was something he was good at. Or had been until Kikyou….

"Good morning, Mr. Takahashi," Sesshoumaru's footman smiled as he opened the door. "What can I do for you this morning?"

It was strange being so welcomed in his brother's home while Kagome's mother had been so distant. _You only were the direct cause for her daughter running away from home…._

"I'd like to speak with my brother and Mr. Bankotsu." Inuyasha smiled lightly at the servant.

"Allow me to show you in, Mr. Takahashi," he said, stepping back to let Inuyasha into the house.

Inuyasha followed the man down a long corridor and into a brightly lit room. "Allow me to get you something, Mr. Takahashi."

Inuyasha motioned he was fine, and the footman quickly left. Pacing around, he took in the subtle lavishness of his brother's home. His brother liked to intimidate his guest with his possessions: tiny but rare figurines, paintings by famous artists, Sesshoumaru's collection of ancient swords.

Inuyasha had little time to either inspect or be intimidated by his brother's collection of knick-knacks. There were rapid footfalls out in the hallway quickly followed by the door being thrown open. Sesshoumaru strolled in, his personal private detective on his heels. Bankotsu closed the door behind them, smirking when there was a thud out in the hallway. As the gumshoe moved to greet Inuyasha, the door to the room opened again, this time allowing a miffed Jaken, Sesshoumaru's personal assistant, to enter. The painfully short secretary shot Bankotsu a glare, but the much taller man's smile only widened.

Sesshoumaru rolled his eyes at the exchange. Sometimes he wondered if it was really worth all the antics keeping his staff around. Turning to his younger brother, he sighed. "What brings you here, Inuyasha?"

Inuyasha had been sharing a laugh with the private detective at Jaken's expense. At the sound of his brother's voice, Inuyasha's face went solemn. "I need to ask a favor, Sesshoumaru."

"Is that so, little brother? And why would you believe I am inclined to help you?" Sesshoumaru perched on the armrest of the couch opposite of where Inuyasha stood.

Inuyasha had been waiting for this. "It involves helping Kagome Higurashi." If Sesshoumaru had been blessed with Inuyasha's puppy ears, they would have been standing on end: the hanyou knew he had his brother's interest. Looking over at Sesshomaru's lackeys, he lowed his voice: "This does not leave this room. You trust your men?" Inuyasha was looking pointedly at Jaken; Bankotsu he trusted with his life.

Sesshoumaru nodded, and Inuyasha went on. "Kagome—Ms. Higurashi—ran away from home less than a week ago." Inuyasha didn't miss the glare Sesshoumaru directed at his words. "Her mother believes she followed her brother to the London docks and boarded a ship he was traveling on. If she made it to the ship, she is in the care of her brother. But there is always the chance she did not make it to the ship." Inuyasha swallowed hard at the thought.

"And you called me _and_ my detective to tell me this. What do you want, Inuyasha?"

"I—I told Kagome's mother I would go after her. I would bring her back. I need to leave now to follow her brother's ship, but I can't rule out the option she's still lost among the docks. I can't be in two places at once, Sesshoumaru. That's why I need Bankotsu. He's the best of the best, and he'll keep mum."

Bankotsu gave a small bow at Inuyasha's words. It was difficult working for someone like Sesshoumaru—he was not often praised. But then having a patron like one of the Takahashis assured he would never want for work or money.

"I'm going to ask you a question Inuyasha, and depending on your answer, I'll consider your request." Sesshoumaru said quietly. He was not looking at his brother, but out the window over Inuyasha's shoulder. The hanyou nodded. "Why do you care what happens to Ms. Higurashi?"

Inuyasha felt blind sighted by the question. He knew in retrospect he should have been expecting it, but the thought didn't help him in answering. "I—I…um…"

"You little brother are an idiot." Sesshoumaru smirked. His balance on the armrest would have been precarious to any mortal, but for him he perched with a stiff elegance all of his own, making him only more intimidating. "I'm waiting." No one in the room missed the mocking laugh in his voice that betrayed his stoic front.

"Look, this isn't for me, its for Kagome!" Inuyasha burst out. He was becoming frustrated with the Sesshoumaru toying with him. "She needs my help one way or another, and I don't feel my motivations matter," he growled deep in his chest, challenging his brother.

Sesshoumaru was staring at him impassively.

"Fine! I just want to know she's safe!" Inuyasha blurted out, trying to say anything to make Sesshoumaru understand the urgency he felt in the matter.

"I know that, but _why_ little brother is the question." The tiniest of smirks tickled the corners of the full youkai's mouth. He enjoyed watching Inuyasha squirm.

Inuyasha fisted his hands into his hair in frustration. "I've screwed up enough by her…I don't want her to get hurt. Well, not again, anyways. I—fuck you Sesshoumaru! Are you going to help me or not?"

Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow in away, which despite his frozen features, Inuyasha knew he was laughing at him.

"I'll help you, but only because I have a great respect for Mr. Higurashi, and feel after your treatment of his daughter our family is in debt to him."

It was no secret Sesshoumaru had looked at Inuyasha's marriage to Kagome as a business deal with the Higurashi family. Inuyasha's actions had spoiled his brother's plans and ruined a friendship: not only had Miroku and Inuyasha been close friends, but Sesshoumaru had looked on Kagome's father as something of a mentor. Mr. Higurashi had been more than happy to give advice and guidance to a young Sesshoumaru trying to manage the fortune left him by his mother, and for that the youkai had always been grateful. When Sesshoumaru heard his brother was engaged to the daughter of the Higurashi family, he had immediately put into works investment plans with Higurashi. He had seen it as a way to both repay the time and effort bestowed on him by the man and to show his mentor how much he had improved over the years.

But his idiot brother had ruined that. Even if it was just a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time as Inuyasha claimed, Sesshoumaru still wanted to rip his half brother's still-beating heart from his chest…but that was for another day.

Some of his designs and friendship still might be salvaged if he had a hand in bringing Higurashi's beloved daughter back to him. And knowing his half brother, he was not going through this trouble out of the goodness of his heart. He had his motives as well.

Just so long as the hanyou's schemes did not involve a certain pale girl who had already caused too much trouble than her worth…

"Fine, I will help you. You have Bankotsu's services until I need them," said detective smirked. Jaken was staring up at all three men opened mouthed, but said nothing. "When do you want him to start?"

Inuyasha sighed in relief at his victory. "Right now."

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Sango fell back against the side of the tent. The roof nearly collapsed on their heads, but miracurously stayed aloft. Using the back of her and, she wiped away the blood from her busted lip and sneered. The man who was actually fighting her was good…she liked that. The boy her opponent was protecting seemed to be useless, but that was no matter. Once she had defeated the man, she could take the boy back to their camp to gather information.

Sango scrambled to her feet in time to meet the man's would-be blow. He was tiring, she could tell: sweat profusely dripping from his brow, breaths coming shallow and hard. Sango's face was a little flushed, her skin ever so slightly damp, but other than that she showed little evidence of their fight besides her bruised and bleeding lip.

With a loud cry, she pushed him backward, striking him fiercely on the head in the process and he lost his balance. For a moment, Sango was sure he would regain his feet, but instead he fell, flat on his back. He was panting, his eyes squeezed tightly together in the sweet sweet pain of knowing he had been bested. Sango knew that feeling, she had felt the same…when she had been a novice. After a moment, his head lulled to the side and she knew he was out cold. Sango licked the blood from her lip.

Picking her way around her fallen adversary, she stepped in front of the boy cowering in the corner of the tent. _They usually only bring the thick-skinned ones_, Sango mused as she approached the figure. But this one was shaking like a leaf. When Sango was just close enough to reach out and pull the little body to her, the boy turned away, his back to the warrior.

_Just because you can't see me doesn't me I'm not going to get you._ Sango smirked. She leaned down, securing the youth around the torso. The boy fought her, struggleing as Sango tried to get a hold of…his…flat…chest….

The warrior froze as did the boy in her arms. Sango flexed her hands feeling what could only be described as a female torso.

XXXXXXX

Kagome blushed bright red when the woman grabbed her, but she couldn't bring herself to move. Miroku was lying on the floor, bleeding, bruised, and useless. The cries from outside had quieted long ago, but Kagome found that less than comforting. She had nowhere to go, no protector.

Suddenly she felt herself being lifted by the underarms, turned violently around, and was face to face with a confused female combatant. "You—you," her brow scrunched as she tried to find the words. "Woe Man?"

Kagome swallowed. _Woe Man? What was she saying? Think, think. Woe—woman!_ Kagome nodded, "Yes." She slowly moved her hands behind her head, cautiously as to not threaten her captor. Tugging out the braid she quickly undid the plait.

"Woman," Kagome said slowly, motioning to the long locks of the woman in front of her before gesturing to her own long hair.

The warrior nodded, understanding, even smiling. Kagome felt a momentary rush of relief, which was quickly cut short when the woman picked up her pole and moved swiftly toward Miroku. Kagome practically launched herself at her brother's head, protecting his still body from the blow.

"No!" Kagome cried.

"Why?"

Kagome relaxed ever so slightly. She wasn't going to simply smash out Miroku's brains. Now she just had to think fast enough to keep their attacker from harming her brother. Kagome sat half way up from where she had thrown her body over Miroku's head. Carefully, she pulled his head onto her lap. "Brother," she motioned, patting her half brother's chest. "My brother, no hurt. My brother, no hurt."

The woman mulled the words over in her head, her lips repeating what Kagome had said. Finally it appeared she understood. _Where did she learn English?_

Kagome didn't really have time to ponder the question as the woman was already pulling Miroku up over her shoulder, carrying him like a sack of potatoes.

"Wait!" Kagome trotted after the woman who was kidnapping her brother.

When she reached them, Kagome tried to pull the unconscious Miroku down, but he wouldn't budge. Instead, the warrior turned to her. "You come too." She seemed to be about to continue, but stopped. "Sango," she motioned to herself. "Name?"

"K-Kagome,"

Sango, Kagome hoped that was her name and not some sort of torture she and Miroku were about to be subjected to, nodded. "Follow."

Kagome could do nothing but follow.

They walked out of the tent, and Sango immediately turned, leading them away from the burning campsite and the smell of death and into the jungle.

XXXXXX

Kouga let out choking cough before rolling over onto his stomach. He was weak and beaten, but he felt lucky to be alive.

Something moving caught his eyes. There was Kagome, he could make out the men's clothing she always wore. She was following one of those _women_ who carried some dark, heavy cloth over her shoulders.

Before he could move, the pair had disappeared into the night.

XXXXXXXXX

Inuyasha paced back and forth across the deck of Kouga's supply ship. To even be there had taken a lot of smooth talking and a lot more cash, but he was _there_. It would have been luck to even find out about the ship in the first place if it hadn't been for the fact Bankotsu was working for him. The man worked miracles with his network of spies, in and above the Underworld. He had found that from one of his last ports, Kouga had sent word he needed more supplies—most of them alcoholic.

Now Inuyasha was one the fast track to finding Kagome. Bankotsu's initial reports—the few he had made before the hanyou had left London—had pointed to Kagome having made it to the ship. Still, Inuyasha wanted to be sure. Bankotsu was to search until he was certain one way or another, or until Inuyasha sent word he had found her with Miroku.

Inuyasha took one last look out over the dark sea; he was tired and needed to turn in for the night. _I'll be there soon Kagome_.

XXXXXXXXXX

**A/N:** God that was a hard chapter to write! Writer's Block almost did me in. Major tweaking had to be done to get it presentable, and I'm still not really pleased with it. Still, its done so we can all move on.

As far as Sesshoumaru / Bankotsu, I don't think they'll be playing much of a role in the story. I wanted to just throw Inuyasha on the damn ship, but he needs to cover his bases so I used those two to tie off the lose end. I was seriously thinking of making up my one detective character because I couldn't think of any other character in the series who would be competent enough to look for Kagome except for Kagura and I want her with the Amazons.

When this was read through by Beatrix, she was like, "how can they fight with poles in a tent?" I'm not talking about your dad's pup tent. I want you guys to picture small circus tents. They're going to be living in them for months so one tent is larger than a good-sized room in a house with high ceilings. Keep this in mind until I do revisions to fix it.

The Fushigi Yuugi moment for those of you who care was when Sango felt Kagome up. Not exactly FY, but it reminded me when Miaka found out Nuriko was really a "lady".

I know how I'm going to start the next chapter and what I want to happen, so hopefully I can get it out quicker!


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Inuyasha. That is the property of Rumiko Takahashi and Viz Productions.

**A/N:** Thanks to everyone who reviewed! This chapter probably wouldn't be written yet if I hadn't had the feedback I did. It took so long to get out because I had a lot I needed to get in. This is definitely one of my longer chapters to date.

Chapter 7 

It was early in the morning, and Inuyasha was restless. He had only been on the ship for a week, but it was trying his patience. Dressing quickly, he walked out onto the deck, trying to ease his nerves. He still questioned his decision to rush off after Miroku. What if Kagome was still in London? If she was, she would need his help.

No, he couldn't think like that. Bankotsu would take care of her, and again, this was Kagome. She had to have made it to Miroku.

When he reached the front of the ship, he was surprised to find a man standing there. His stylish over coat and exotic shirt betrayed he was not one of the crew, but Inuyasha had not seen him before nor heard of another passenger on board.

Strolling up to the man as casually, Inuyasha leaned on the railing not far from where the stranger was standing. With the sea wind whipping around them Inuyasha could not smell the guy at first, but the man still put him on edge. It was like he had a black aura.

_If Kagome was here, she could tell me…._

Suddenly a gust of air blew the stranger's scent spiraling at Inuyasha. At first he thought his nose had failed him, but then he caught the smell again. It was distinctively demonic with the subtlest hint of human. …_A hanyou?_ Inuyasha stared at the man next to him, completely confused. In his entire life he had only met a hand full of other half demons and all of them had been family friends.

Inuyasha eased away from the railing, no longer wanting the fresh air. He turned to go back to his cabin, missing the eyes of the stranger as they turned to watch him leave.

XXXXXXXX

Kagome was panting, trying to keep up with Sango.

Sango, her Amazon warrior friend who had magically appeared out of the jungle with the ability to speak the Queen's English. Sort of.

Sango, who could be leading them to certain death.

Sango, who was still carrying her brother. Miroku was nearly twice the woman's size, but she still kept trotting on at a pace Kagome was finding hard to keep up. Kagome's clothes were disheveled at best. Her hair, crumpled from being braided for so long flew around her face and down her back like a gigantic shawl. Both Miroku's jacket and shirt had slipped off her shoulder and the pants she wore were not staying where they needed to be. The cuffs drug in the dirt and caused her to periodically trip.

Sango leaped gracefully over a fallen tree, then waited for Kagome to scamper under the obstruction. They rounded another corner on the invisible trail Sango was walking and suddenly they were in a village.

Kagome stumbled and stopped, wide-eyed, unable to move as she took in the site before her. It was more of a city than a camp. There were high walls surrounding everything—tall trees with small homes in them, large huts under the branches of the trees. Smoked curled in the air from several cooking fires scattered over the camp. Young children of ambiguous genders ran after what Kagome could only categorize as dogs. And women everywhere. Women chopping wood for the fires, skinning game…doing everything.

As soon as Kagome had followed Sango completely within the walls of the city, the warrior glanced over her shoulder and nodded. Kagome barely had time to see to whom she was signaling before a gigantic gate was dropped in place, closing off the city from the rest of the jungle.

Immediately from nowhere three women came from seemingly thin air. Two rolled Miroku off Sango shoulders and carried him away, one holding his hands, the other lifting the man's feet. The third girl lifted Sango's weapon from her shoulder, undoing the strap so she could take it away.

The young Londoner felt her heart sink a little deeper into the pit of her stomach as she watched her brother disappear. Kagome felt so numb it did not even register he was leaving her. She was tired from not only the journey and lack of sleep, but from the strain her nerves were under. Kagome still did not know how Sango had had the strength to carry Miroku so far—she had not been carrying anything and almost collapsed from exhaustion more than once.

She was trapped here—wherever _here_ was—with strangers. Her protector was out cold and no one seemed to speak her language fluently. Kagome began to panic. Her first instinct told her to run but deep down she knew her legs would not carry. Not to mention she was locked in with her captors.

There was a sudden pressure on her shoulder and Kagome looked up to meet the concerned gaze of Sango.

"We not…harm you," she said slowly, carefully.

Kagome gulped, but managed a forced smile. Sango began to walk again, and Kagome had no choice but to continue walking in the warrior's footsteps. Trying to keep her head bowed, Kagome could not help but see the women around them: they were all staring at her. She had to admit her clothes would have caught everyone's eye in London, but then so would to the attire of those, those Amazons. Yes, she felt she could call them Amazons. They all wore less than Kagome's lightest summer undergarments would have covered.

While in London, Kagome had heard Miroku whispering to his friends of private clubs where only the wealthiest men were permitted to enter for the pleasure of viewing female entertainers…. The clothes the women wearily watching her were wearing could only be put into the context of such lecherous places in Kagome's mind.

Before she could ponder them more, she found Sango was pushing her into a large building. It was located at the center of the camp, and seemed to have some importance. Once inside, Kagome was blinded by the darkness compared to the bright but early morning light. Blinking her eyes rapidly, it took her several seconds to force her eyes to adjust. Once they did, Kagome found herself looking at a woman, kneeling before the fire, her feet tucked up underneath her. She was wearing more clothing than the other women, but she was also much older than anyone else Kagome had seen.

Sango and the elder began talking in a rapid dialect very far from Kagome's English. She could not even begin to keep up, only they continued motioning from time to time to Kagome; she was sure they were speaking of her.

"She has the gift," Kaede said to Sango, her tone serious and her face grave, but there was the slightest hopeful light in her eyes. "Did you notice?"

Sango shook her head. "I only thought she might be more willing than the men to give us the information we needed."

Kaede nodded. "None the less she is a miko. Untrained—I doubt she knows even her own power. But she is what we have been looking for."

"This is good," Sango commented. "How do we tap her power?"

The faintest of smiles crossed the elder's face. "First we need to be able to speak her language so she will be able to speak ours."

Sango's brow knitted for a moment until she understood her orders. Immediately her countenance was blank and she growled. "I gave up that life long ago, and you were more than happy to assist me. Why ask me to go back?"

It was meant as a rhetorical question, but Kaede answered any way. "It is only a language Sango, and it as not as though you have not already begun to pick it up again."

"Any thing to do with _them_ is tainted—even the words coming from their mouths!" Kaede only quirked an eyebrow. "And I only spoke to the girl to get her to follow me. I could not carry both her and the man. It was necessary!"

"And so is this. You know both the demon attacks and the men from the sea have weakened our defenses. If you wish for our way of life to be free from the 'taint' as you call it, you must make the miko serviceable to our needs. To do that, you need to pick up on your old tongue so she can learn ours. "

Sango hung her head. Her elder was right and there was nothing to say. "Forgive me for my defiance, Elder Kaede. I will do as you have asked."

Nodding her approval, "I know Sango. You are loyal; you need not worry about such things. You had better begin—the sooner you learn her language the sooner she can use the jewel."

Sango said she understood before standing and bowing. She tapped Kagome's shoulder and motioned for the girl to follow her. Kagome looked at the older woman seated before her, her eyes now closed in meditation, then back up at Sango as she left the hut. Deciding she would rather be with the warrior, Kagome scrambled to her feet, running back out into the blinding sunlight.

Nearly out of breath, she caught up to Sango. The woman was walking quickly, staring straight ahead. Kagome did her best to fall in line with the older girl's much longer strides, but she was finding it difficult. "Might I ask where my brother has been taken? Miss…Sango?"

At the sound of her name, Sango paused, rolling her eyes, and then continued on. She could pick out tiny bits of understanding in what her charge was saying. This was going to be harder than Kaede thought.

Sango lead the girl to her own hut, smaller than most of the others, but then she did live alone, separated from the others. Sango knew she had their respect, but she was not always sure she had the love of her comrades. It was always understood she was an outsider. Not that it mattered; Sango saw herself as being where she wanted to be.

Kneeling down in front of her hearth in the floor, Sango began to light a fire. She was tired, but she had been given orders, and had to follow through. If Kaede had meant for her to sleep, she would have said so. The girl, Kagome, looked more than a little tired, but perhaps some food would do her good.

Sango watched her out of the corner of her eye as the flames grew. She was sitting quietly on her feet, fidgeting with a loose thread in her shirt. She had not said anything for some time when finally she asked a question, "My brother? Where is he?"

_Brother…_She had said that before. Sango knew Kagome was referring to the man she had brought to the village with them, the one Kagome had protected. More than likely she wanted to see him, she showed such concern over the man. Something Sango could not grasp.

"We see _brother_…later."

Kagome nodded slowly, avoiding eye contact.

Sango tried to formulate in her mind what she should say as she fed the fire. "Him see…soon. Go to _brother_. Eat." She motioned to the fire before she stood to gather a pot. Sango ladled some water into it before setting it over the fire.

Sango and Kagome watched the water as it tired to boil. Kagome was exhausted, but she still felt the awkwardness of the situation. It was as though Sango wanted to say something to her and was unable.

"You speak English?" Kagome asked. The water was boiling now and Sango had gathered some vegetables and what appeared to be dried meat. Sango's brow scrunched at Kagome's question. She didn't answer at first, only carefully slipped the food into the water.

"Speak English?" Sango repeated. She motioned to her mouth and Kagome nodded. After a moment, Sango nodded too. Kagome smiled; things didn't seem that bad at the moment.

"You speak English and me speak English," Sango tried to get Kagome to say more. The words so old and faded were slowly coming back to her. When Kagome said something she had the strongest sense of remembering; the language of her childhood was so very close to her.

"Yes," Kagome replied, "We speak English," she motioned to them both. "We speak English,"

"We speak English," Sango repeated. She was so close to remembering more she could taste the words in her mouth. She needed to keep the girl speaking, saying things. Sango reached out and pointed to the cooking pot, "English".

Kagome stared at Sango for a moment before it dawned on her the Amazon was waiting for her to say its name. "That," she motioned to the pot like Sango, "that is a pot." Kagome gestured to the boiling water, "and that is water, and those are vegetables and meat—food—we eat," she rubbed her stomach with her other hand.

Sango tried to digest this new information. "Pot, wa-ter, meat, veg-veribles," she said, marking out each with her finger as she said its name.

Kagome nodded, giving Sango an encouraging smile. "Vegetables," she corrected and nodded in approval when Sango pronounced it correctly.

As Sango continued to cook their meal, the two continued in their English lesson. Kagome was surprised how quickly her new friend was picking up her language, but it was becoming more and more apparent Sango had not always been an Amazon. One indicator was the neatness with which she ate her food. Kagome recognized the tiny bites Sango was eating with from her own days of etiquette classes. The older she had grown, the more food she had been allowed consume with eat nibble, but in the beginning it was forbidden to take more than a tiny taste at a time: one earned one's food by learning how to eat delicately. It appeared as though Sango's lessons had been stopped abruptly and because she had never been given the go to move onto the next stage she was halted in old habits.

Kagome's musings were interrupted by the sounds of yelling coming from outside. Sango's ears immediately perked up and in the next instant she was running for the door. Not wanting to be left alone, Kagome tagged along.

It took a moment for her eyes to readjust to the blinding sun meeting her outside, but when she could see again, she staggered back toward the hut. It was too late however; the snake demon had already spotted her and was charging for the young miko.

XXXXXXXXXXX

It was a dream. He knew it was a dream, but he couldn't turn his eyes away no matter how hard he tried. He didn't want to see—how many people wanted to see one of their greatest fuck ups replayed before their eyes?

The ballroom was the way it had been on that hot summer night, so long ago it seemed now. Kagome had had to leave early and in the dream like on that night he still could feel himself missing her presence.

_Someone had pressed a drink into his hand and he couldn't resist. Anything to block out the boredom._

_Once he had met Kagome, such gatherings had lost all their charm when she was not there. _

_Even in his dream he could feel his own boredom, the need to leave. But now he could feel the things he had missed when they had really happened: the heaviness in his head and feet, the way the room was spinning ever so slightly, the blurring of his vision. How he could have not noticed these things mystified him, but he did not have time to think them over, to remember. _

_The dreamscape shifted and Inuyasha felt cold. He felt her tiny hands on his arm, guiding him. Pulling him and making him follow her. He knew he shouldn't be there and even tried to wrench away but she held him in her grasp with steady ease. He was far too weak to resist._

_They were at a door, she was opening it, stepping inside and trying to make him follow her…._

Inuyasha jerked awake at the sound of his lantern hitting the floor. He was on his feet in an instant, in time to face off with an intruder in his cabin. The shadowy form had no shape or face; it blended into the darkness of the room.

Though disoriented from waking, Inuyasha was still able to sidestep the attacker as he lunged at him with a drawn dagger. They scuffled and Inuyasha barely missed the blade twice before he was finally able to steal it away. The prowler did not wait around to see what the hanyou would to with it. Before Inuyasha could even stagger to his feet, he was gone.

Inuyasha lay there, listening to the groans of the ship's wood as it waddled through the vast ocean. He could hear nothing moving inside the cabin and he knew he was alone. Gingerly, he reached up and felt his eye. It was as tender and swelling already. There was also a cut on his side where the attacker had been able to graze him, but that one would heal soon.

He needed to tell the captain of the attack, but something wasn't right. Now that he was no longer fighting for his life he could smell the room and with it the intruder. He knew where he had smelled the scent before; it was still fresh in his mind. The man who tried to kill him could only have been the passenger he had seen on the deck that morning.

It wasn't everyday he met a hanyou.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Kagome couldn't move. She really couldn't even breathe. Her heart had stopped just as her lungs ceased to fill with air.

It was coming right at her…whatever _it _was. The monster rampaging to her at top speed. It conjured in her mind the stories of the creatures haunting the lochs in the Highlands of Scotland with its snake like body and head. Red eyes glared at her as the creature's clawed legs carried it rapidly toward her. Before Kagome could grasp what was happening to her, she was wrapped in the demon's tail, arms pinned to her sides, being lifted high above the camp. She wailed and prayed for only the pain to stop. The scales covering attacker were covered in spines, spines that ripped at her clothes and cut her body.

The snake demon squeezed Kagome tightly, dragging painfully from her lips a wail. She didn't think she would be able to stay conscious much longer when there was a shriek from her captor. Prying her eyes open, she looked to see Sango and several of the other women were attacking the demon.

The beast was trying to move backward, but found it was difficult to progress with any speed as long as it held Kagome. But it would still not let go of its prize.

The Amazons continued to move in on the snake demon. A second band of warriors formed behind it, blocking it in. The demon's attention was divided between the two groups and as it was concentrating on snapping its fangs at the warriors behind, it did not sense Sango's movement until she was already airborne.

Her war cry filling their air, she swung her boomerang for all it was worth. The weapon sprung, slicing through the demon's neck as with ease and precision. That did not however stop Sango from getting doused in black black blood and the carcass, still spurting the goo, fell to the earth, landing with a dull thud.

Moments later, Kagome felt the tail relaxing in its holds, releasing her to plummet to the earth. Two strong female arms caught her in mid air, leaping out of the way of the falling tail to set her gently on the ground. Kagome tried to stand, but her legs would not quite hold her and she crumpled into a pile.

Something was said over her and the small group of Amazons trying to help her laughed at her. Kagome couldn't be sure why, but she blushed red. She didn't want to seem weak before these women, and the Londoner knew physical strength had never been something she had wanted before.

There was some shouting orders and Sango shoved her way into the circle. It was clear to Kagome she had had some hand in the death of the demon, she was covered in a thick layer of what could only have been black blood. Most of it had been wiped away from her face and her hands were cleaned, but it still seemed she had been splattered with the most of it. She knelt down in front of Kagome, checking her wounds. She scowled and pointed to two women, commanding them to do something. They immediately took off.

Sango helped Kagome to her feet, supporting the girl with a strong arm on her shoulders.

"Walk?"

Kagome pushed through her dizziness enough to nod. Sango began to lead them back into the hut when the elder they had spoken with earlier halted them.

"Is the miko alright?" Kaede asked Sango. The young girl did not look well, she was covered in scratches and her strange clothes were ripped and torn. More than anything though she looked frightened and shell shocked.

Sango nodded. "I think she will be fine. I took care of the demon before it could do real damage." Kaede nodded in approval before Sango continued. "But what worries me more is that she did not even try to fight. She froze."

The elder frowned. "That will not do. We have not had a demon attack inside this compound for sometime, and I would only guess we had one now is because of her presence. You must find out if she cannot fight or if she was simply too frightened to do so."

"I agree. But if she cannot fight?"

"You will teaching in addition to learning, Sango." Kaede did not miss the look of annoyance that crossed Sango's face but she chose to ignore it. "You had better get her patched up."

Sango gave a slight bow and went back to guiding Kagome into her hut.

Once inside, she helped Kagome back to the ground and gathered her healing supplies. She was accustomed to tending to her own wounds, but it was rare when her tribeswomen would allow her to look after their injuries.

The scratches were not deep, but they were plentiful. She could see the tiny stab wounds peaking through the ripped fabric of Kagome's clothing. She was going to need something new.

Going to the small stand she used to store her food as well as her clothes, Sango picked out one of her older outfits. It was a bit too small for her, and the girl was a bit smaller than her. Not thinking anything of the lack of material to the garments Sango deposited them unceremoniously in Kagome's lap.

Kagome lifted the cloth Sango had given her up for inspection. At first she had thought it was something to help her clean her wounds but after a moment of looking at what she had been given, she realize Sango meant for her to wear them. Choking on her own squeak, Kagome turned bright red and tried to push the tiny shirt with its thin straps and indecent skirt away.

Sango paused in setting out the herb potions she needed to clean out Kagome's wounds. The girl was so red, it would have been funny if Sango had not been tired and covered in black demon blood. The girl was rejecting the clothes she was offering her.

With a sigh, she picked the articles back up and tired to offer them to Kagome again. Sango was losing patience. Before she could go clean up, she had to take care of her stubborn charge.

"I—I can't. They aren't appropriate!" Kagome whined.

Sango growled and looked angry and Kagome realized how rude she was being. Granted the woman was asking her to dress like a whore, but to these—these Amazons, there was nothing the matter with running around in one's undergarments. The woman had brought her into her home—well hut—and fed her. She was only trying to take care of her.

Sighing in defeat, Kagome mumbled she would put on the clothes. Leaving Sango, she went to one of the hut's corner and laid the strange garments out of the ground with care. Quickly, she shucked Miroku's clothes grateful they were so much easier to get out of than the dresses she usually wore. Without a second thought, she slipped on first the top, then the skirt. For some reason she felt less covered with them on than when she had been nude for those few seconds.

Returning to the warriors, she resumed her seat, offering a weak smile.

Sango returned Kagome's smile, feeling less weary about her charge. They went back to cleansing Kagome's wounds before beginning the English lessons again.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

**A/N: **Quick note on the Amazons. Sango's tribe doesn't really call itself the Amazons, that's just how Kagome sees them since she probably would have studied Greek and Roman mythology.


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Inuyasha. He's Rumiko Takahashi and Viz Productions.

**A/N:** Hopefully this chapter isn't too repetitious with Miroku's response to the Amazons. As I was typing it, I felt like I had written it before. Oh well.

Some…interesting…reviews on the last chapter guys, but thanks anyway. The questions and wonderings really help me out on the things I needed to work on to flesh this thing out.

Juliana: several people asked about a better description of the Amazon's clothes. I tried to put a better picture in this chapter, but its difficult because I can't just come out and say "it looked like she was wearing a diagonal-one strapped bra and a super mini skirt" or "a one shoulder-bathing suit top and tiny skirt" since their supposed to be in Georgian England. I have little to no artistic ability…I could probably sketch the clothes, but I don't know if they would be modeled by "people", more like misshapen rocks than Kagome or Sango. If you want to draw something up, I would be more than happy to post a link. I think people would be happy to have a visual. If not, no worries. I'm glad you like this story, and I'll try to keep it and my other stuff going.

Kisshu-luv: Um…I think I'll leave the story where it is, but thanks for noticing its more than your garden-variety drama. I'm never sure what I'm going to write when I start off, so I feel like "Drama" is an ambiguous enough category to encompass pretty much anything I can come up with. You might want to lay off the chocolate ice cream before reviewing fanfics, but do whatever the fuck you want. Thanks for reviewing, your comments were just quirky enough to put me in a good funk so I felt like writing more.

Alexa: Good idea—I hadn't thought of that yet.

Thanks to everyone else to reviewed!

Chapter 8 

Kagome fidgeted with her clothes. Sango had left her some time ago, saying the word "brother", so Kagome hoped and prayed she would see Miroku again soon.

Even in these clothes…

Kagome shifted her legs, trying to milk out the most coverage possible from her skirt. At the same time she attempted to adjust her "shirt" as well. A thick strap wrapped snuggly around her breasts and was held by another that went up and over her shoulder. All of her stomach was exposed down to her navel or would have been if it was not currently wrapped in bandages to match her arms in order to cover the nasty wounds from the snake demon. Just bellow her belly bottom, the "skirt" fitted over her hips. It was really more a rag than a skirt as it only just covered her backside, falling midway down her thigh but well above her knee—an area also wrapped with gauze. She was worried when the dressings would be removed—not that she was comfortable as she was now.

Pulling her eyes away from the fire, she looked down at her clothes for the brief moment before she had to take her eyes away. She didn't want to think of what the people back in London would say about her if they could see her now; even if they were a million miles away she still felt cheap.

Her eyes burned and her face flushed at the memory of her last few months in London.

_Inuyasha._

He had always been there for her, always protected her from any rumors spread by jealous mouths…until he was the one to cause the jeers.

A tear dripped down onto her hands folded in neatly in her lap.

There had not been much time for her to think about him in the past weeks, but now he flooded her thoughts. It had to be the snake demon. As the monster had tried to crush her to death, the one coherent thought she had been able to grasp had been her need for Inuyasha to be there; for him to rescue her.

He was her protector, or he had been before he left her for Kikyou.

Kagome's hands clutched the hem of her skirt. He had pushed her aside, abandoned her like an unwanted plaything.

Shaking her head, she tried to push away the destructive thoughts swelling up in her mind, but they refused to leave.

It must have been too much for me to ask for happiness. I must have seemed like such a silly girl to Inuyasha. No wonder he wanted to be with Kikyou…she's so, so poised.

Kagome tried to pull her legs up to her chest, but found the action made things a bit _drafty_. Leaning back down toward the fire, Kagome propped her elbows on her knees and stared at the flames.

_I was never good enough, was I?_

Her angst moment was interrupted as Sango returned. The Amazon smiled at her before sitting back down.

Kagome couldn't be sure, but the woman seemed pleased about something.

XXXXXXX

Miroku was in a quandary.

He was sitting in the dark of a stuffy room.

He had a knot on his head…at least he assumed the throbbing pain on his skull was a bump.

And worst of all his hands were tired behind his back and his arms were lashed down to his sides. He had been allowed to sit cross-legged on the ground, and he wasn't sure he had the balance to stand. Not that it mattered. Even if he could get to the door, he wouldn't be able to open it or even scream for help considering the gag in his mouth.

He had been woken earlier by the sound of a shrieking animal but then everything had gone quite with only the soft sounds of people moving about sifting though the vents in the walls.

Besides his aching head, Miroku had no idea what had happened to get him here. All of his memories were blurred and muddied. Painstakingly, he tired to pull out the details, causing the pain in his head pound all the more for his efforts.

He remembered their arrival and setting up camp. Then he had been getting ready for the night when they had been attacked…

Here Miroku's ability to remember tanked, and he sat wondering what had gone on. There had been screams of the men and Kagome had come running into the main room of the tent.

And that woman had appeared.

In a dizzy flash, everything up to the point he was knocked unconscious was pulled into his recollection: fear for himself and his sister, the thrill of the fight, a brief rush of victory when he drew blood on the woman, and finally the humiliation and exhaustion as he collapsed on the floor of his own tent. After that, it had been pure and sweet blankness until he had woken…whenever he had regained consciousness.

Testing the strength of his bounds yet again Miroku found them just as tight as they had been the last time. There was no way for him to escape in his current position.

His stomach clenched at the thought of Kagome.

He had almost had her hand in his when that _woman_ had attacked them. Miroku mentally cringed. When he had signed onto Kouga's expedition, not in his strangest imaginings had he ever thought he would have to fight a woman like that. Perhaps that was way he was painfully shocked when she had bested him.

There was a sudden noise from one of the walls and what he could only describe as a door slid open. There was a flash of bright light but that was quickly dosed as two forms stepped in the doorframe, blocking out the light at they did so.

Miroku gulped.

Before him stood two women, both fierce, frightening, and scantily clad.

His jaw dropped, or it would have if the gag hadn't been shoved halfway down his throat.

The swept into the room quickly, gliding more than walking. Tugging him to his feet, the two women guided him out where he was immediately blinded by the bright sunlight.

Miroku felt a sinking feeling in his chest as he was walked though the village. It was clear he was somewhere deep in the jungle, and the natives had kidnapped him. What was more frightening was the realization he could not see any men. Women, women, women everywhere. There was not a male face in sight, but there were so many girls—girls wearing, well not wearing much at all.

What was important had been covered on their bodies, but other than that there was not much left of their clothes.

If his hands weren't tied behind his back, he'd be in paradise.

He was taken through to the village's center, and unceremoniously shoved into a hut where he was pushed to the ground so he found himself sitting across a cooking fire from an old woman. She—much to his great bliss—was covered as a woman should be, but the scowl about her features was a bit disconcerting. A black scrap of cloth covered one of her eyes, making her seem even more fearsome.

The woman looked over his shoulder at her two tribeswomen who had brought him there are began speaking in a rapid dialect Miroku could not even begin to follow. He could only sit by and attempt to take in the dizzy speed of the words exchanged.

"Sango believes he is a relation to our miko?" Kaede asked.

Both nodded.

"Fine, take him to Sango. We have no use for him if he belongs to the miko."

After bowing to their leader, Miroku was gathered up again and dragged back out into the sunlight. A short walk later and he found himself being jostled through another doorway into another hut. He was forced to the floor again, but this time his female guards only said something snappy to people in the room and left.

As soon as his eyes adjusted enough to the room's shadows to take in details, Miroku felt as though his eyes were going to pop out of his head.

The first thing he noticed was that he was sitting in a room with the same dammed woman who had attacked him. He flinched backwards, tottering as he tried to back peddle to escape. Without his arms, he lost his balance and fell ungracefully to the ground. Lying on the dirt floor, he wondered idly if he were dead and this was some horrible nightmare.

There was a movement at his side and he cautiously looked over, finally taking in whom the second person in the room actually was.

Now he was sure he was dead.

Because there was no way Kagome would ever be dressed like _that_.

XXXXXXXXXX

Inuyasha sat in his cabin, still a little shaken from the night before. Perched on the end of his bed he was tenderly feeling the bruise on his eye. It was healing, his youkai strength allowed it. But it wasn't healing fast enough and that had him worried.

The captain had brushed him off, refusing to search the ship for his attacker and telling him to lock his door at night. He had said the intruder had more than likely been a drunken sailor looking for trouble.

Inuyasha didn't think so. The man from the night had not smelled of spirits. He had told the captain as much but found himself only ignored.

Now he readying himself for bed, and he was finding himself unsure of the dark.

If it had not been for his attacker being clumsy, he would have died. Of that he had no doubt; the man had been able to land a blow on his eye that had not healed a day later.

Nevertheless, he was going to have to sleep some time.

Standing, he went to the door, securing the lock. Next, he drug the desk over, pushing it flush in front of the door.

_Safe as I'm going to be_, he decided.

It took a lot to shake him and this had done it: the stranger on the ship's deck just that morning, the attack itself, the nonchalance of the Capitan. Nothing about any of it smelled right, and for once Inuyasha had decided was better to be cautious than sorry and dead with a knife lodged in his hanyou's heart. He wasn't sure what exactly had brought on his sudden lack of recklessness, but there was a quite voice whispering in his ear.

All it said was if he died on the ship, he would never be see Kagome again. And right now, that wasn't high on his to do list. He had hurt Kagome enough. At the very least, he wanted the opportunity to apologize to her and keep her safe until he could bring her home unscathed.

Tonight, he would be sleeping with one ear open.

XXXXXXXXXXX

**A/N: **I think I'm going to end this chapter here. I know its short, but I have so many things I want get in, I think I'll get more out faster if I divide I up. I'm going to **try** to get the second half out by next Friday. If I write everything in now, it may be August until this gets posted because writer's block is hovering on the horizon.


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Inuyasha; he is the property of Rumiko Takahashi and Viz Productions.

**A/N: **I know it seems like forever and that Inuyasha and Kagome are never going to be at the same place at the same time, but not this chapter but the next, I think they'll be there. Hopefully.

Thanks to my reviewers, you guys mean a lot to me. Honestly, I wouldn't update half as much if you weren't there for me. I hate to be a review slut, but the more reviews I get, the more I will write. Reviews are motivation and inspiration in a jar. Just something to think about.

Chapter 9

Inuyasha's ears twitched in the night.

Something was not right, but he didn't sense any danger so the tried to regain his grasp on sleep.

Sleep would not come.

Rolling over onto his side, Inuyasha was suddenly met with whispers floating up from somewhere deep in the bowls of the boat. Perhaps it was a new angel for his ears to pick up on the sounds, but all Inuyasha knew was he suddenly could hear two men speaking.

He could not making out the exact words, but his curiosity enough for him to investigate.

After several miss guesses, he found himself in one of the ship's lower levels, hidden behind a stack of crates, listening to two men whisper over their tankards of liquor.

One was clearly the captain.

The other man could have been anyone, but Inuyasha could bet he was the stranger on the deck and his attacker.

"Like I said before, I don't like it!" The captain slurred.

"And as I have said before, you will not have to tolerate the halfling much longer. I did not go through all the trouble I have to separate the hanyou and the miko just to have him go running after the bitch like a lonely puppy." The man's voice was cold and even, deep and grave. It was sophisticated, but still held a note of hollowness that sent racing chills up and down Inuyasha's spine. Though he drank when the captain drank, he seemed sober and straight headed. "The girl won't be any use to me if he's around. She will be harder to control and that alone will make harnessing the jewel's power all the more difficult."

"You plan to kill him before we land?"

"Of course, what would be to point of passing up the opportunity of burying the body at sea? No one would ever find him, even if the damn mongrel was missed."

"Just be careful Naraku. Everyone knows the Takahashis are a powerful family."

_Naraku_, Inuyasha's mind hissed. So that was the man's name. Somehow, somewhere in the depths of his mind he knew he recognized it…

"Do not worry about the details my captain. Inuyasha will never reach Kagome. It really is a shame for him that he couldn't become better attached to Kikyou."

Something shifted on the deck just above Inuyasha's head and instinctively he knew one of the crewmembers was up and might stumble upon him. He needed to get back to the safety of his cabin as fast as he could.

Silently, he stood on the steps, and with a leap, he was at the top of the stairs without a sound.

XXXXXXX

Naraku's smirk widen as he picked up on the sounds signaling the hanyou was gone.

It didn't matter what the younger Takahashi's puppy ears had picked up; he would be dead soon anyway.

He refused to let Inuyasha see Kagome again. _That_ could not happen, or all he had laid out would be ruined.

Turning back the captain, Naraku pretended to be interested in what the drunken man was slurring on about.

_Soon enough little puppy, soon enough_….

XXXXXXXXXXX

Miroku gapped at his sister. He hadn't seen her so exposed since she was a baby.

And when he held a tiny, naked, screaming, tomato-faced Kagome in his arms she had looked nothing like she did now.

Forgetting he was in no position to tell anyone to do anything, Miroku opened his mouth. "Kagome Higurashi! What are you wearing? What happened to your clothes? Where did they go and what are you doing sitting around in your underwear for Christ's sake. Someone is going to see you and—"

His tirade was cut short when Sango's boomerang connected with his skull. He opened him mouth for a moment to try and continue, but stopped mid breath when his head lulled to the side.

Sango slung the boomerang back over her shoulder before turning to Kagome.

The girl had stood, and had crossed her arms self-consciously over her chest. Her face blushed bright red as she stared down at her brother. She had to do something, if that was how he reacted. Even if she had to walk around the village covered in a sheet, it would be better than seeing the look of disgust that had filled Miroku's eyes.

Tears began welling up in Kagome's eyes, but she quickly brushed them away.

"What's matter?" Sango asked. Her English was coming back to her with frightening speed, but the use of some words were still giving her stumbling blocks.

Kagome jerked her eyes away from her brother. "He hates my clothes, Sango. He doesn't think they cover me enough.

Sango felt she might understand, but couldn't be sure. "Eh? Clothes good."

Kagome sighed. "I need to be covered," she ran her hands along the length of her body. Going back to what she was actually wearing, she motioned, as she spoke, "These aren't enough. They don't cover me. He doesn't like that."

Sango looked at Kagome's clothes then back to her own. "Cover?" She paused, thinking. After a minute, something clicked in Sango's mind, "Wait," the Amazon said, and went over to a small corner of her hut. She paused a moment before she knelt in front of the trunk she had long let rest there. Pushing back the feeling of foreboding she felt, Sango grasp the clasped that had for so long locked the trunk and popped open the lip. She dug through the papers and drawings and books from a lifetime ago—they were all that was left of what she had once been. Finally she reached the bottom and located what she was looking for, a gown her mother had worn. It was all she had left of the woman. Pulling out the aged fabric, she was surprised but glad it had been preserved for so long in the cedar of the trunk.

Returning to Kagome, she offered her mother's dress to the wide-eyed girl.

Kagome was speeches. She had never expected to be offered a dress so beautiful in the middle of the jungle, especially from an Amazon whose clothes barely covered her own body. With careful hands she took the garment, tracing over the delicate embroidery stitched into the thin fabric. The cut of the cloth might have long gone out of fashion, but it was still beautiful to Kagome's eyes.

"Thank you, Sango," she smiled. "Is it yours?"

Sango shook her head. How to say the word? After thinking for a moment, she joined her hands in front of her abdomen, pushing her arms out as far as she could and bending her elbows so she made a half circle. She moved her arms up and down, trying to gesture out a woman's pregnant belly.

"Your mother? Your mother's dress?"

_Mother?_ Sango's mind tried to grasp the word. Yes, mother, mama. That had been what she wanted to say. "My mother."

Kagome smiled, understanding the weight of the gift. "Thank you, Sango. I promise to be careful with it."

XXXXXXXXX

A week had passed aboard the ship, and in spite of his better efforts, Inuyasha felt himself being lulled into a false sense of safety.

That was until the night of the storm.

Inuyasha had slept soundly regardless of how the ship tossed and shook until a loud clanging began on his door. He had stumbled out of bed to investigate and the moment he pushed the furniture out of the way so he could fling his door open against the violent storm, he found a slashing and murderous ball of an attacker in his arms. Again the man's body and face was covered and that coupled with the darkness of the night made certain there was no seeing his face. But as he fought Inuyasha couldn't help but feel confident the attacker was Naraku.

It took him less than an instant to react, but he was already too late to keep himself from being stabbed deeply in the arm. Inuyasha's effort was enough to keep the assailant from landing his knife in his chest.

They rolled, Inuyasha landing on top. He struggled to gain control of the blade, but he lost his balance and once again he found himself flat on his back. The attacker went for his throat and Inuyasha was certain he was going to meet his maker. However, before the blow could be landed the ship took a dangerous tip and the man was knocked across the tiny cabin.

Inuyasha barely managed to stagger to his feet before the man was coming after him with the blade again. This time he had enough of his bearings to lash out at him with his claws, landing a nice slash across the torso.

An ear-piercing shriek rang in the cabin at the same time the ship gave another violent toss. They both were knocked to their knees.

Outside, in the storm there was a loud cracking noise and even over the wail of the wind Inuyasha and his assailant could hear the worried cries of men on the desk.

"The ship! She's sinking! All men to the life boats!"

Both men froze for an instant before making a mad dash to the door. Inuyasha reached it first and had it halfway open before he felt a heavy blow to the back of his head. It made him dizzy but he still managed to realize he had been struck with the knife's handle. Whirling he was in time to grab the arm slicing through the air as it attempted to sink the blade into his chest. In the brief scuffle, the attacker landed a punch to Inuyasha's eye and as he reeled the man escaped out into the night.

Staggering out onto the deck, Inuyasha could tell the ship was on its last limb. Water washed everywhere—the sea was coming up to meet them. But where was the to go? In every direction he looked, he saw nothing but sea spray whipping in the wind. There was not sign of a lifeboat anywhere.

Inuyasha did the only thing he could think to do. He began to run. In his flight, he was blind sighted by the wave that crashed on the deck and pulled him out to sea.

He floated in the abyss and chaos the water provided, unable to move or fight for his life. What did he matter? He had failed again. He had let down himself, the only family he had left in the form of his brother, he had even let down…

Kagome.

Something in his youkia blood called out to her; would not let him die if for only her sake. He had failed her once, but now was not the time to do it again.

Slowly, his arms began moving his body to the surface, praying silently he could get to it before his lungs failed him and he lost his last thread of consciousness.

He broke though the layer of ocean rubbing the cool night air thick with rain. He sucked in a gulp of air before sputtering in an attempt to rid his lungs of the water he had inhaled.

He didn't know how he found it, but a gigantic plank drifted to him and somehow he managed to ease his bruised and bleeding body onto it, collapsing on his back.

The rain had dimmed and the storm that had so recently destroyed the ship had lost all of her fury. Inuyasha tried to keep his eyes open, but in the end they closed and he passed out from blood his wound had leaked and the sweet lulling motion of the sea.

But his mind did not rest. Instead he dreamed of dolphins swimming along side his plank. Dolphins glittering in the safe morning light of a blue-sky day. Everything shimmered in the dreamscape and he sat up only to find a woman perched on the rim of his makeshift raft. Her hair was long and dark and she had a fish's tail instead of a dress, but he still was reminded of Kagome.

Inuyasha reached for the woman and in a disjointed way, she turned her head to look at him.

It was Kagome, but he could still tell it was a dream as the woman wore a youkai mark on the crook of her neck.

She looked at him with sad eyes. She was going to cry, he knew it, but there was nothing he could do about it: when he reached out for her, she sparkled a little more and became a bit more transparent.

Kagome.

There were so many things he wanted to tell her, but he could not even open his mouth much less tell the beautifully grotesque creature before him that he was sorry.

Then she began to move toward him on elbows bending in wrong angles and a head not completely situated on her shoulders. Still her skin bore that mark and something told him that it really was Kagome and the mark his own.

When the dream phantom was practically breathing on his skin, she opened her mouth and Inuyasha found himself praying to hear the sound of Kagome's voice.

It never came.

Instead he found himself no longer on the broken set of boards, but face down on the sand as ocean water splashed around him. Coughing out the new water that had entered his lungs he raised himself enough to take in a pair of boots standing mere feet from where he had pulled his head from the sand.

Rocking back onto his feet, he slowly raised his eyes to find the one man he had never thought he would see, even if in an indirect way he had been looking for him: Kouga Greenswitch.

XXXXXXXX

**A/N: **Ta-da! Hark! A chapter! I was going to add more, but I feel like stuff actually happened in this one, so I'm just going to post and then maybe I can get some more out sooner. As I'm sure you're used to now, you won't hold your breath. I could say that my summer classes are fucking done on Friday, but I don't want to give you false hope. Wish me luck!

For my little bikini freaks out there, don't worry, Kagome will not always be in the dress. I always pictured her in a dress, so its to help me in visualizing the story, but I admit the Amazon clothes have their own practicality and fun.

If anyone asks, I have NO idea where Inuyasha's dream came from. I think it had to do with my own sleep deprivation. Ask if you must, but I don't think I'll have an answer for you.


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Inuyasha. He is the property of Rumiko Takahasi y Viz Productions.

**A/N:** Thanks to my reviews! I heart you guys. Seriously, this chapter would not be out so fast if it hadn't been for you.

To my reviewers with direct comments/questions:

Alexa: I hope Inuyasha retained enough dignity for your liking.

Coykoi: No worries, they'll be back!

Kagome442006: So maybe I got ahead of myself and the reunion may not be this chapter exactly, but I swear its coming soon. Cowers Don't hate me! I want them to be together as much as you do because that's when the fun begins. I'm working on it as soon as I get some sleep.

To everyone else, thanks so much!

Chapter 10

Miroku rubbed his eyes, trying to wake up while at the same time idly wondering why his wrists and head ached so much.

His eyelids fluttered open and at first he could only see a straw roof with what could only be described as a primitive sky light. _That can't be right_, his tired mind mused.

Gingerly, he managed to bring himself to a sitting position, feeling oddly dizzy, as if he were floating even as he was sprawled on the ground.

Rubbing his wrists, Miroku tried to remember where exactly he was, but nothing was coming. He only felt as though he had been furious before he fell asleep, but because of whom or what, he could not stay.

Standing on shaky legs, he made his way to the doorway from which he could make out the muffled sound voices.

What met his eyes when he pulled the flap to the hut back was extremely far from what he had been expecting. There were **women**. Not the soft and fragile girls he had become accustomed to in London, but women who would give a man a challenge. Their appearance was enhanced rather than hurt by the lack of clothes they so freely sported. Not even in the seediest clubs he had dared to be seen at had he been allowed to gaze on such garments.

Miroku was so shocked, something in his already abused and unstable brain snapped.

He took off at a run for the first woman he saw. She was kneeling over some weapons. Fast as he could, he tugged the surprised girl to her feet, taking both her hands in one of his own while the other snaked around to the unsuspecting girl's backside.

Or perhaps not that unsuspecting.

He had only touched her and muttered something that sounded like was trying to say, "Would you bear my child," when Miroku found himself flying though the air.

Sango ran after the male body she had just flung over her head. He skidded to a stop in the dust several yards away from where she had stood.

"Son of a pig!" The Amazon shouted when she reached him. "If you EVER touch me or any woman like that again, you will not have hands to do so. Or any other _useful_ appendages."

Miroku sputtered for a moment before passing out cold, yet again.

Just as her brother went out cold Kagome trotted up her new friend, her skirts swishing around her ankles.

"Sango, that can't be good for him," she reprimanded with a wry smirk.

"Well, neither is grabbing my ass!" Sango hissed before what she had just said dawned on her.

Turning quickly to gage Kagome's reaction, she found the girl staring back at her with wide-eyed surprise.

"You—you speak—"

"I can speak English." Sango said calmly as if this sort of thing happened everyday. "It just came to me I was so mad." She took a moment to glare down at the man sprawled on the ground before her, lightly touching his lips. "He better not try to grope me again."

Kagome looked the other way, the grin still on her face.

XXXXXXXX

"What in the FUCK do you mean she's gone!" Inuyasha roared at a calm looking Kouga.

"She and her brother were kidnapped in an attack," Kouga repeated. He leaned back in his chair, relaxing over their breakfast. "Neither of the Higurashis are here. They're gone. What else do you want me to say?"

Inuyasha felt as though he was going to rip the man's head off. Tear it off while it was still bleeding and… He sucked in a breath, trying desperately to count to ten. "I want you to tell me what I need to know so I can find her. Then I want say why the fuck you haven't done more to find them before now!"

Kouga rolled his eyes. "We haven't had the time or the man power to look for two useless souls. And I can't waste my time telling you a bed time story about what happened." Kouga stood, brushing his bangs out of his eyes. "If you haven't noticed we have a camp to fortify and some things to find!" He was making his way to the door, but Inuyasha seized his arm.

"I am going to find Kagome, and you are going to help me or this," he gave the limb a shake, "will be mine."

Kouga looked bored as he tore his arm away from Inuyasha.

Sighing, Inuyasha's shoulders slumped. "Can you just tell me the direction the attackers came from or left by?"

Kouga thought for a moment. "I honestly don't know. We were all in tents when the attack came and the men we set guard were the first ones to be killed." Again he paused to think. "Before I blacked out—and this could be a dream, I wasn't in the best shape—I think I saw Kagome following a women out into the forest." He pointed in the general he had seen Sango that night.

"A woman?" Inuyasha quirked and eyebrow.

"You heard me. A woman."

"Are you sure?"

"She was definitely a woman, Inuyasha."

Resigning to defeat, Inuyasha thanked Lord Greenswitch and went back outside.

Walking to the edge of the field camp, he found Kouga's men already assembling his tent. Though he would surely disembowel the man if he found his nonchalance had anything to do with Kagome being harmed in anyway, Kouga was at least hospitable.

He may have only had a vague possible direction, Inuyasha was still hopeful. He still had Kagome's scent memorized by heart.

Soon Kagome, soon… 

XXXXXXXX

Kagome wrung out the wet cloth again. She gently swabbed her brother's face.

Humming to herself, she smiled when Miroku's eyes fluttered open.

"Morning," she looked down at his confused face.

"Where I am?" He croaked.

Kagome gave a small laugh. "I'm really not sure. But I have a friend," she offered as encouragement.

"Why am I not surprised," Miroku chuckled as he struggled to sit up.

"Her name is Sango and she speaks English," Kagome spoke as she helped Miroku right himself. After a moment she decided she might as well explain who exactly Sango was. "You've actually already met her."

Miroku froze in his efforts to wipe the sweat off his face.

"I haven't—you mean _her_. The one who I can only assume brought us here after she attacked me. She's knocked me unconscious at least twice and you've befriended her?"

"She's been kind to me, Miroku. This hasn't been easy for me and you've bloody slept though the whole thing!" Kagome's voice momentarily became shrill. Blushing at her out burst, she lowered her head and spoke in a whisper. "And she's knocked you out three times, not twice."

It was Miroku's turn to whisper. "What do you mean, _three_ times?"

"You weren't yourself and you know how you can be overly friendly with women. She just put you in your place." Kagome giggled at her brother's sour look.

"Kagome!" A female voice called from outside the hut.

"That's Sango now, I'm supposed to train with her. So I'll be safe."

Kagome stood quickly, but Miroku grabbed her hands before she could leave.

"_Train_?" He chocked out. His brain was still fuzzy and he couldn't even begin to grasp his sister's words.

Kagome nodded and Miroku released her hand. "So I'll be safe the next time a demon attacks," she called over her shoulder as trotted outside leaving Miroku alone.

"_Demon_?"

His tired brain could no longer grasp Kagome's words and flopped back down on his bedding. He scrunched his eyes closed.

Maybe this _Sango_ was right. Maybe he was more useful asleep.

XXXXXXXX

Inuyasha sniffed the air and leaped to another branch. He had been searching the jungle for well over a week, moving onto his second.

He had started out looking for a group of men, but there were no male warriors anywhere in the forest. Many, many demons, but few to no men.

But there were some women out there, somewhere.

He knew that much for sure.

On more than one occasion he had though his nose could just grasp Kagome's scent, but as soon as he picked up upon it, it was gone on the wind.

But he was getting closer.

It was true the smells moved and weakened, but he would find her soon. It was only a matter of time. The tiny glimpses he had gave him the hope he needed to fuel his search.

XXXXXXXX

Kouga had just polished off his tankard of the piss-weak alcohol—the only kind they had left. He was debating the merits of getting another, leaning back in his chair, eyes closed, when he felt a stronger sea breeze than usual. Opening half lidded eyes, Kouga choked.

A man was standing his tent.

It took a moment, but he recognized him quickly.

Naraku.

"Good evening, partner." Naraku cooed.

The legs of Kouga's chair splinted as the hit the ground. "What are you doing here?"

Naraku strolled into the tent, plucking up Kouga's empty tankard as he passed the table. He squirted some liquid into the vessel from the barrel pushed up against the tent's side. Taking a sip he grimaced. "For one, bringing you something real to drink." He spat and poured the remains on the ground.

"You know what I mean." Kouga growled in warning. "Why have you come? I haven't sent for you."

"Our interests need projection, and I finally found the missionary."

Kouga could only offer a dead panned expression. "Missionary? Naraku what the fuck?"

"You really are a simple man, my Lord Greenswitch." Naraku clucked. He swept passed Kouga, running his fingers sloppily though his partner's hair as he went. Taking the seat next to Kouga, he didn't miss the man's cringe.

"You will remember the rumors of a jewel in this very jungle?" Naraku pressed.

"Yes, vaguely."

"Well, my missionary friend claims to have seen it." Easing back in his chair, Naraku looked like a snake about to strike.

"Is that so?" Kouga scoffed. He made his way over to the barrel and poured himself another drink.

"He said he was taken prisoner by a group of bloodthirsty women who worshipped the damned thing."

"Women?" Kouga asked, setting the tankard down.

"That's what I said."

"You know," Kouga leaned forward as he remembered something, "Inuyasha has been searching for some women—"

Naraku was on his feet in an instant. "Inuyasha!" He snarled. "I killed that fucking dog!"

Kouga was taken by surprise. As long as he had known him, Naraku had always been calm and collected. He was perhaps a bit malicious under the surface, but never so outwardly violent as he was now.

"Yes, he washed up on the shore a week or two ago. He said he was coming here to look for the Higurashi girl."

"So the little mite did make it?" Naraku seemed slightly more at ease.

"Yeah she stowed away on my—"

"But the hanyou is here?" Again, he spoke with an angry growl.

Kouga nodded. "The night we arrived we were attacked. Kagome was taken." Naraku swore. "And I believe it was a group of women who did it. Inuyasha thinks I'm right and has been tracking them."

Naraku looked a little more interested and a little less angry. "Has he found anything?"

Kouga thought for a moment. "He comes back every few days. Last time he stayed a night, he said something about being close."

"I see. Next time he's here, you will be joining him in his _treasure_ hunt. If Kagome is with the same women the missionary stayed with, then we will be lead to the jewel."

Kouga nodded, it was all he could do.

XXXXXXXXX

Sango shook her head at Kagome's efforts. The girl was really helpless at punching, running, and leaping over anything. She didn't even want to think about the poor girl's attempts to kick.

Maybe a weapon would be best.

But only after she could talk the girl into wearing some descent clothes; something she could move in.

XXXXXXXXX

**A/N: **I tried, I really tried to get Inuyasha and Kagome at the same place at the time, but I could do it. I swear I made my best effort, but without cutting out all sort of stuff I just couldn't managed. But we're very very close. Scouts honor. Besides, I updated like insanely fast for me. That has to be worth something.

I feel like my writing was a bit weak in this chapter, but I think that has a lot to do with the speed with which I wrote it. You'll forgive my poor sentence structure and word repetition, right?

I'm on a bit of a roll with this, and though you shouldn't get your hopes up, I'll try (try being the key word) to pop the next chapter out sometime this weekend. No more summer school after tomorrow!


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Inuyasha. He is the property of Rumiko Takahashi and Viz Productions.

A/N: As Beatrix B. noted, this is a dud chapter, but some of you might be quasi-happy with the ending. I really wanted to have already posted this, and be posting chapter 12 tonight, but it's a no go. Anyway, I'm getting my wisdom teeth out tomorrow, and that could be a really good thing for you guys, or it could be bad. We'll see how I do with the meds/pain. 

Thanks to everyone to reviewed! Yous guys are my shining stars! Lol.

Chapter 11

Sango observed Kagome at little longer, becoming more and more frustrated as she saw how the dress restrained her movement and kept her from actually improving.

Something had to be done and Sango's mind was quickly coming up with a plan.

A small group of children were running around not far from where Kagome was attempting to train.

They were covered in dripping mud.

They looked like dirty little swamp demons.

They were perfect.

Kagome had paused and was holding her side. Her face was red and her breathing uneven. Now was as good a time as any. Using her fingers, Sango make a loud whistle, getting the girls' attention. Sango motioned to them with her hand, while at the same time tilting her head toward Kagome.

Like any good warriors, they could read the signs their commander gave them. Fluidly they formed a V as the ran their way toward Kagome, moving with stealth and evil children smirks plastered on their soiled little faces.

Kagome never saw the attack coming.

Sango watched with pride as her tiny trainees made quick work of her protégé. The leader of the V called out Kagome's name in a cheery child's way just before swinging her arms around Kagome's waist and giving the stunned miko a powerful hug. The others followed suit and in spite of Kagome's shrieks and pleading the dress was covered in mud in the blink of an eye.

Just as quickly as they had come, the swamp monsters vanished leaving a bewildered Kagome in their wake.

For a second, Kagome stood, frozen as they left her: head bowed a bit, back every so slightly hunched, and arms held out near her sides but away from her body.

Then she moved, straightening her head and back in an attempt to regain the sense of poise so in demand by London socialites. Slowly, she brought her muddied hands to her face, and for a moment Sango thought the poor girl was going to start shrieking again.

But Kagome surprised the Amazon. Flinging her hands downward, she tossed off the mud as best she could from her hands. Her eyes searched for Sango and when she found her, Kagome began to make her way over to the warrior, her head held high.

"Sango, I am so sorry, but I have no idea where those kids came from—they, they attacked me!" Kagome whined, but somehow retain a mite of dignity in Sango's eyes. "I know the dress is ruined, and I tried—"

Sango reached out a hand to Kagome's shoulder, smiling down at the younger woman. "You'd be surprised at how mud can be cleaned."

"But," Kagome sputtered. "What am I supposed to wear? You'd surely have to…to soak…the dress," she murmured the last few words as the realization dawned on her to answer her own question.

"Don't worry Kagome, I have some things you could borrow." Sango flashed her a smirk, which—had they ever met—she would have thought her friend had picked up from Inuyasha.

"But Miroku—"

"Won't be hurt if he's hit upside the head _one_ more time."

Without waiting for Kagome's protest, Sango took of in the direction of her hut. "Hurry up!" She called back over her shoulder.

Kagome took in her muddy gown once more. Did she really have much of a choice? Hitching up the dirty skirts, she followed after Sango as fast as her legs could take her.

XXXXXXXXXXX

Inuyasha cleared the path before him using his claws. Glancing back over his shoulder he saw Kouga and his men staggering along some distance behind him. The hanyou could barely keep the growl concealed in his throat.

Leaping up into the trees yet again, he thought back over his last visit to Kouga's camp.

He had only just lit the candle lantern in his tent when there had been a rustling outside and moments later, Kouga appeared.

_Even Inuyasha noticed the man looked worried as he fiddled with his jacket, but he paid it no mind as he went about packing new supplies and glancing over the notes he had made on the jungle. He was getting close, he could feel it._

_He smiled for a moment at the thought only to grimace. He had picked up Kagome's scent more than once. He knew she was safe, and as much as he longed to see her again, knowing that he would soon made him incredibly nervous. Would she welcome him or reject him? No matter what it took to find her, he knew he deserved the latter._

_Kouga caught him completely off guard the moment the adventurer finally stopped playing with his coat buttons and spoke. "Takahashi, when you go out again, I and some of my men will be joining you."_

_Inuyasha froze at his words. All he could do was stare at Kouga._

"_I regret my lack of interest in the Higurashis. I want to aid you in any way I can."_

_Inuyasha could only nod. Before being washed up at the man's feet, he had only heard of Lord Greenswitch though rumor and innuendo. He was greedy, self-centered, and a narcissistic bastard if one was ever born. There was no doubt in Inuyasha's mind: Kouga wanted something._

_Kouga was turning to leave, taking Inuyasha's blank stare as acceptance. "What do you really want, Kouga?"_

_Taken aback, Lord Greenswitch halted mid-step. He looked panic for a moment, but then a cocky grin covered up the indecision. "Now why would you say a thing like that? Call me when you are ready to depart."_

_Quickly as he came, he was gone into the night. In his wake, Kouga left Inuyasha with a gnawing feeling of imbalance._

Leaping to another, higher tree branch Inuyasha nearly lost his balance at the shock of what he was taking in. Not far—less than a mile away—was a compound. It was a massive patch of land, cleared of foliage and littered with huts and watchtowers. An equally large fence surrounded the entire lot, protecting its inhabitants with its heights and outer shell of camouflage. If he had been any lower to the ground, it would have been completely disguise from his view. Without even trying to take in the scent of the place, Inuyasha knew it was what he had been searching for.

Without waiting an instant, he jumped out the tree, plummeting down to the ground to land just before Kouga and his party.

"Well?" Kouga looked bored.

"It's that way," Inuyasha mimed Kouga's bored tone, motioning with a clawed hand.

"What's _that way_?"

"You'll see," Inuyasha called as he began to jog, clearing a path though the forest as he went.

Rolling his eyes, Kouga signaled for his men to follow and they began to trot in the passageway Inuyasha was carving out thought the foliage.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

"Who do they think they are?" Koharu hissed as she looked down at the group of men moving quickly across the forest floor far below from her perch.

"Amateurs, obviously," Kagura sighed. She picked at something under her nails and looked uninterested.

"How far should we let them get?"

Kagura rolled her eyes and growled. "I don't know, a little farther. Hell, even if they somehow charged into the middle of the damned village its not like they'd live very long."

Koharu nodded. The older woman was right.

Kagura watched their progress a little longer then signaled to Koharu as she jumped out of the tree and after the group of intruders.

XXXXXXXXXX

Kagome blushed as she stepped outside. She felt utterly naked and more than a little shamed at the clothes Sango had gotten—more like forced—her to wear. She was covered even less now that she no longer wore her bandages from the wounds the snake demon had given her. Luck was on her side in that Miroku was still passed out, but he would have to wake up sooner or later.

"Lets try this now," Sango said, pushing a bow and quiver of arrows into Kagome's hands.

Kagome looked quizzically down at the weapons in her hands.

"I'll show you," Sango offered as she took the things back from Kagome and made her way to where targets had been set up. She strung up an arrow with practiced hands even though her weapon of choice was her boomerang.

"See, fit the arrow like this, then pull it back…and release." The arrow flew to the target with ease, striking its center with a thud. "Now you," Sango thrust the bow and arrows back at her friend.

Kagome knitted her brow. She had to do this, she had to at least try. For so long she had been hiding from people and new things, taking the well-beaten path. That certainly hadn't worked for her; she had followed all the unspoken, hidden rules of London society and she had still lost that which she held most dear.

Accepting the weapons from Sango, she tried to repeat the Amazon's actions, but still needed some aid all the same. Even with Sango's help she faltered several times and had difficulty pulling the string back far at all, but at last she managed to send the arrow on its way. The arrow still only made it half way to the target, crash landing with several bounces, but it gave Kagome a since of satisfaction all the same.

Sango nodded her approval, "Try another." Kagome notched up another arrow, and with a little more ease this time managed to launch ever so slightly farther.

They continued to practice until Kagome's arms were exhausted and the arrows had begun to land closer and closer to her feet.

"That's enough for today," Sango commanded as she took the bow and arrows away from her weary friend. She led Kagome to one of the village's wells and hoisted up a bucket of water. Using a dipper, she ladled out some for Kagome to drink.

Offering her thanks, Kagome swallowed the contents in a few swift, un-lady-like gulps. "All this practicing has made my manner's worse than Inuyasha's," she laughed without thinking about her words.

Sango's ears perked up at the sound of the unfamiliar name. "Inuyasha?"

Kagome couldn't help but blush at the mere mention of his name. "I—he was—"

Unfortunately, Sango's curiosity had been perked. "Someone special to you? In London?"

Kagome could only nod, her head hanging in her sadness. Sango quickly picked up her young friend's change in mood. _Great, the guy probably passed on, and now I'm rubbing salt in her wounds! _"Was he your husband, Kagome? I'm so sorry!"

She made to hug the girl, but Kagome stopped her with and cheerless smile. "Inuyasha never died, if that's what you think." Sighing she slumped against the well. Sango took a seat next to her, offering a sympathetic ear. Thinking about the woman next to her and the lack of men in the village around her made Kagome feel silly as she whined about a lost love.

When Kagome didn't immediately explain, Sango prodded her, "Go on."

"Inuyasha was my fiancée and Miroku's best friend. I suppose he was like my best friend too. We were supposed to be married, Inuyasha and I, but he," she swallowed hard, "he didn't want me."

Sango scrunched her brow. "Didn't want you?"

"He wanted another woman," Kagome stated flatly. She was silent for a moment then glanced up to see Sango's concerned face. She clearly wanted to ask what Kagome had meant, but had the manners not to.

_What does it matter now?_ Kagome mentally sighed.

"There was another girl named Kikyou. She had always wanted Inuyasha, and he had always seemed to ignore her flirtations. But then one day, after he had been betrothed to me, he left me for her." Kagome worried the low cut fringe of her skirt.

"So…why do you care?"

Kagome felt her face crumple and her mind numb. _Why did she care?_ Suddenly she found herself smiling. "I—I don't know. It shouldn't matter, but it does. I was silly and I loved him," Kagome wiped away a tear in spite of her smile. "I was just a silly little gir—"

They were interrupted by a group of men being shoved into the village.

XXXXXXXXX

Inuyasha smelled the attackers moments before they appeared. He had not time to warn Kouga or even prepare himself for a fight.

All the hanyou had to time to do was suck in a quick breath before he was knocked to the ground. A woman, seemingly plummeting from the sky, dropped down onto his back and pressed him to the forest floor.

He heard the struggles of Kouga and his men, their cries before they were silenced. He tried to push the woman off him, but somehow she weighted him down. Switching over to plan b, he attempted to roll, but she also thwarted that endeavor, keeping him locked to the ground.

His captor purred something sweetly, but Inuyasha could not make out the words.

_Too cocky for her own good_, Inuyasha mused. He waited, listening to the scuffle Kouga was putting up, and judging from the slight shift on his back, the girl was watching too.

As soon as he felt her weight relax, Inuyasha drove his weight onto his side, moving quickly to his feet. He heard but did not see the girl who had had him pinned tumble to the ground.

"Not so mighty now?" Inuyasha growled. He was as mad as himself as he was at the woman before him; he should have seen this coming.

The girl spat at his feet then charged him, waving a small blade. She was clearly inexperienced, displaying her emotions for all to see. She was letting her anger cloud her judgment, and Inuyasha easily dodged her attack.

He spun back behind her as her momentum carried her past him and seized her up by what he now recognized as the tiniest outfit he had ever seen on a woman…even when he went out with Miroku. At the same time, he managed to free her weapon from her grip, letting it fall to the ground.

Her tiny form struggled as she tried to free herself, swinging like a cat held by its scruff.

She was tiny, with muscles that might have been useless in a hand-to-hand fight, but were perhaps very useful when she still had her blade with her.

He was trying to avoid staring at her barely-clad form when he felt something cool press against his neck. Without moving, he knew it was a sword just has he knew he had been caught. Not waiting to be told, he let the girl fall. She landed on her feet with ease, glaring at Inuyasha all the while, and scampered off to the fallen Kouga and his men.

Feeling a pressure from the blade, Inuyasha sensed the woman wanted him to move. Letting her lead by her motions with her weapon, Inuyasha soon found himself standing at the entrance to the compound from which he had seen from the trees.

XXXXXXXXXXX

Kagome nearly choked when she saw Inuyasha stumble into the village with a knife to his throat. She would have recognized his long white hair anywhere so it was easy to pick him out from across the way.

She pushed herself up off the ground and took one faltering step then another. Kagome froze when Inuyasha finally picked her out, his jaw dropping and a look of awe covering his features at the mere sight of her.

He stopped and his captor behind him, but the woman's blade still remained at his throat.

Kagome blushed under his sharp scrutiny and though she felt a little woozy, it was Inuyasha whose eyes lolled back into his head and it was the hanyou who crumpled to the ground in a faint.

XXXXXXXXXX

**A/N: **As much as I like turning out fast chapters, I feel like they're dead to emotion. I need to work on that.

Once again, I am getting my wisdom teeth out tomorrow, and though I'm hoping it will mean some time where I can just write, I don't know how capable I'll be. I've been waiting a really long time to write the next chapter, so I want to see it done as much as you do. Wish me luck!


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Inuyasha. He is the property of Rumiko Takahashi and Viz Productions.

**A/N:** Please go easy on this chapter. It was written while I was still trying to get over my wisdom teeth and packing for school and moving into my apartment. Basically its very scattered and though I've done my best to fix it, I'm not sure there's much more that can be worked on. I'm really just ready to post this and be done with it.

Chapter 12

Naraku watched his partner and the man's goons be escorted through the woods by a pair of women he had not seen the like of in his life.

_So the old monk wasn't just suffering from jungle fever…_

Naraku covered up in his bamboo pelt once more, moving with the coverage of the foliage.

XXXXXXXXXXX

She didn't know how she got there, but Kagome found herself kneeling before Inuyasha, brushing sweat-dampened bangs off his dusty forehead. He looked so worn and tattered, and he had come all this way…for her? As much as she didn't want to think such things, the thought came unbidden.

Kagome's mind was flooded with memories of their time together in London; the times before everything had gone wrong.

Inuyasha pulled her a little closer as they walked around the park, returning the glare of their chaperone as he moved his hand to Kagome's hip so he could pull her that much closer.

The way he would hold her hand in the theater when he thought no one was looking.

Watching Inuyasha when she thought he was concentrating on something else only to find he was watching her too.

Suddenly, she couldn't stay there next to him, couldn't look at him, could not—for the love of chocolate—be there when his golden eyes opened. A million different scenarios of what he would say flashed though her mind, and Kagome also knew she couldn't stand to hear any of them.

She had done so well in the past weeks blocking Inuyasha from her thoughts, and now here the hanyou was in the flesh destroying any and all of the barriers she had managed to build for her self-preservation.

Leaping to her feet, Kagome dashed out circle that had gathered around Inuyasha's fallen form.

She wasn't sure where she was going, but before she had to make a decision, Sango had caught up with her, reining her in by grabbing her arm.

"Kagome?" Her eyes were concerned, but stern. She wasn't going to let this go.

Unable to stop her blush, Kagome stared down at the ground, rubbing her arms as if she were warding off cold.

"_That_ is Inuyasha."

XXXXXXXXXXX

Miroku woke with a start, unsure at first of his surroundings. Once he was awake enough to recognize where exactly he _was_, he managed to roll to his side and drag his heavy body to a stand.

His head would not stop aching for anything.

Well, maybe if that damn woman would stop taking every opportunity she could get to knock me unconscious…

Staggering out into the daylight, he was surprised to find his sister and her _friend_ coming up toward him.

Kagome looked surprised to see him and immediately ducked her head, but continued walking, more resolute than he had seen her in years. The Amazon merely glared at him from her place behind Kagome.

Kagome walked passed him, mumbling something about needing to talk to him as she went. Once both women had stepped inside—Sango still glowering—Miroku turned and made his own slinking way to sit across the fire from them.

When neither of the women spoke, Miroku grew tired of the silence. Eyeing his sister and her outfit, he found it best to begin, "Kagome, what did I tell you about those clothes?" He growled. "You look fit to be a—"

Before he could finish the sentence, he found himself standing, or would have been if his feet had been touching the ground. Sango had him strung up by his neck, clutching his throat in death grip a full arm's length above her head. "I understand you look down on women based on the clothes they wear. But you will also understand I have given your sister clothes demanding the highest respect a novice can receive in my tribe. You will not mock or belittle her in anyway, especially when you are a man who dares to touch women as you please!" Instinctively he had grasped her wrist to free himself, but she held firm, releasing him when she saw fit.

Sango let him fall as he began to chock. He laid on the floor for a moment, then managed to roll so he could sit, his arms propping up his body. Sango hadn't moved. "You understand me?" She growled. Miroku could only nod, rubbing his fingers over his bruised throat.

"Very well," she sighed, returning to her seat next to the fire. "Now, Kagome has some news for you."

Miroku swiveled his head to look at his sister, not trusting his strength.

Kagome was still blushing madly, but some how she felt oddly relieved. No one had ever stuck up for her like that and been listen to.

"Oh right," Sango's words reminding her over Inuyasha's resent return. "Miroku, um…this may come as a surprise, but—"

Miroku rolled his eyes. "As long as Inuyasha Takahashi isn't sitting outside, nothing could surprise me," he said as he warily eyed Sango. Never in a million years was he expecting his sister's next words.

"Well, he's not exactly _sitting_, more like _lying_…" Kagome chuckled nervously. She remembered the last time Miroku and Inuyasha had seen each other, and her heart clenched.

Miroku's reaction was instantaneous. His face flushed red, then went white, wiped of all color. "What?" His voice broke.

"He found m—us somehow. Inuyasha is here." Kagome swallowed the lump that had grown in her throat. Her hair created a curtain around her face as she bowed her head in her inability to meet her brother's eyes.

Miroku's eyes burned fiercely, but he did is best to keep his cool. "Is that so?"

Kagome nodded, keeping her head bowed. She was afraid of what would happen next.

XXXXXXXXX

Kagome slipped into the hut where the villagers had tossed the hanyou for safekeeping. After an argument between Sango and her brother concerning Miroku's right to see their prisoner, the young man seemed to have succeeded. Explaining the need to protect his sister's honor appeared to have won over the Amazon. So now it was Kagome's task as neutral—really most neutral—party to wake Inuyasha.

The hut was stuffy and dark, but she could still make out Inuyasha's form from the light falling on his body from the skylight.

He was lolling on the ground, his long silver hair spread out in disarray all around him.

Slowly, she approached him, stopping when he rolled in his sleep. When the hanyou only snorted from deep within his dreams, Kagome took the few short steps remaining to the side of his head, kneeling carefully while tugging at her skirt to keep as much of her body covered as possible.

"Inuyasha…" She whispered, trying, but not really _trying_ to wake him. She could watch him sleep all day, but it was not her choice to make.

Gently leaning over, she took his face between her palms, smushing his cheeks so he looked very much like a fish. "Inuyasha…" she breathed again.

She hated to even think it, but he looked _so_ damn peaceful when he was asleep like this. Not just peaceful, but handsome, and lovable, and—and all those cursed things she had promised herself she would not imagine Inuyasha Takahashi capable of being after he left her.

"Inuyasha…" she said again, but this time the name simply slipped though her lips. Almost as if she wanted to say it.

This time, instead of his head swaying from side to side so more drool leaked out from his lips, the hanyou's eyes peaked open.

At first Kagome was certain he would fall back asleep, but after a moment, Inuyasha blinked at her. He seemed to be observing her; waiting for her to make the first move.

Kagome gulped. What was the proper thing to say at a time like this? "Inuyasha?" she heard herself squeak.

Again, he only watched her as she grew more and more uneasy until.

After another blink in her direction, Kagome began to wonder if there was something wrong with him. Leaning in as close as she dared, Kagome looked for signs of illness or bruising. When she saw none, she carefully jabbed his cheek with her index finger.

Inuyasha scowled, but only blinked again to which Kagome's brow also scrunched angrily and again she poked him in the face.

"Jesus Christ Kagome I come all the way here to bloody rescue you and all you can do is whisper my name like a fucking nun in church and prod me like some sort of simpleton!" He lashed out, all in one breath mind you, sitting up so quickly Kagome toppled backwards in her flight to get out of his way.

Inuyasha's hands however were quick, and he righted her, pulling her close, but not too close. As much as he wished it, he could not forget the fact he had injured the woman so near to being in his arms, and for that he could not bring himself to pull her into a warm embrace.

In spite of his best intentions, Inuyasha felt his control slipping. He had never been good with temptation, and being this close to her after so long apart was doing strange things to his demonic half. It felt like it did when it fluctuated, trying to become dominant…but that only happened when he was in very serious danger. Something was off, and he sucked in a calming breath, pulling Kagome closer in an attempt to appease the monster without overstepping his boundaries.

"I'm sorry," he blurted out a moment later, not really sure himself if he was apologizing for everything or because of his most recent fuck up.

Kagome remained frozen, not really sure what to say or do. Never in all the lessons from her governesses or the instructors in the academies she had attended had they given one on how to gracefully address a former fiancé whom had tracked you down to a remote jungle village after seemingly washed his hands of you forever.

"Kagome?" It was his turn to whisper.

"Yes Inuyasha?" she asked, keeping her eyes averted. She realized she was terrified by how much she wanted to look at him, and found herself only able to keep her eyes on the ground.

"I've missed you," he growled out, his voice raspy and hollow. Kagome tried to process what his words meant, but any thoughts or words she might have had were silenced when Inuyasha kissed her.

Not like the respectful, polished, smooth kisses he had given her in London. This was much different: it was fierce and hungry and so lonely, clawing at her lips and almost making her forget he had ever left her side…

_Almost. _It hit her and all the warm fuzzies trying to spawn happy thoughts in her stomach suddenly evaporated. _Almost._ She was icy cold and furiously hot at the same time.

_Almost…_Kagome's mind spat bitterly. _That's the point, he did leave you, and you don't have to take him back._

Kagome pulled back from Inuyasha.

I don't have to take him back…its my decision.

Not my mother's or Miroku's, mine. Inuyasha left me with nothing but my broken heart and went on his merry way with Kikyou, never looking back, and now he's here to say he misses me?

If he can so easily toy with me, I no longer have to stand for it.

Inuyasha never saw it coming.

Kagome pushed him away, shoving him so hard his sea-bruised body nearly toppled.

"What are you doing here? Why can you just let me be!" She knew she was yelling in a most un-lady-like manner, but it didn't matter.

Somewhere in the deep recesses of her mind, Kagome knew she had started to cry, but she wiped the flecks of water away with the heels of her hands and stood—anything thing to get away from Inuyasha.

She wanted him back, but something in her would not accept his kiss as a worthy apology. He had a lot to make up for and there had to be something more.

Inuyasha sat where he was, unable to move.

He didn't know why he had kissed her. After weeks and months of telling himself he was unworthy to lick Kagome Higurashi's boots, he found him self drawn to the point of being bound to the woman before him.

The demon was definitely surfacing.

Kagome wavered a bit on her feet, in the process setting her body under one of the hut's light shafts.

Inuyasha forgot his worries as he looked at his fiancée. He had always imagined she would be beautiful under all those damned layers her frocks were made of, but he never expected what he saw before him at that moment.

He felt his breath hitch in his throat as he took in her flawless skin barely covered by the scraps of cloth attempting to hide her tiny form. Before Inuyasha could halt his movement, he was closing the distance between them. It had been too long since he had been this close to her, and now, too see her like this—it was too much for his demon senses entirely. Inuyasha felt a moment of panic as his control slipped, but something called to the worry from the back of his mind, reminding him that he would never hurt her, at the moment he just need to be near her.

Kagome backed away from the hanyou when he began to stalk towards her, frightened by the red hints his eyes were taking on even in the dark light of the hut.

Before, when they were still in London, he had described to her what he would look like when his demon side took over completely. Inuyasha had said his eyes would go crimson and purple stripes would slash down his face; his claws and fangs would lengthen.

The slashes weren't there, but his eyes sure as hell were red.

"What's wrong Kagome?" Inuyasha asked, his voice came out hungry as it scrapped over his now demonic vocal cords.

The way he was looking at her, it was the way Kouga and his men leered. But there was something more to Inuyasha's gaze. Something that let her know he wouldn't hurt her, but it didn't matter, it wasn't enough. She was afraid. Afraid for herself and suddenly afraid for him. What if he never came back to her?

The purple was flickering around his cheekbones as he stepped even closer to her.

The memories of Inuyasha explaining the dominant youkai echoed in Kagome's head confused her already frightened mind. Deep within the overwhelmed miko, she felt something stir.

Just as Inuaysha closed his clawed fingers around her wrists to jerk her closer and snarled "Mine" in her face, Kagome felt something light and hot in her chest. It burned up from her hip, covering and coiling around her heart before it exploded out into the hot sticky jungle air.

Inuyasha never knew what hit him as he spiraled down and out into oblivion.

XXXXXXXXXX

**A/N: **So I'm back at school now, and doing pretty well for missing four teeth. This chapter is very piece-meal, and not as good as I would have liked, but I think it turned out ok for the circumstances. If you haven't noticed, I'm a shitty fluff writer.

I hate to say it, but since I'm back at school updates are going to be few and far between, especially since we don't have internet in my apartment. Give me reviews (especially now before things get insane with my work load) and I'll try to be inspired enough to keep this story going.

Once again, thanks for everyone who review, pitied my teeth yanking, and waited for this update.

**Alexa**: This probably wasn't what you were expecting (it wasn't what I had planned on either…) but its just what came out. Perhaps a bit clichéd with the Inuyasha-turned-demon thing, but it just flowed. Shrugs Hope you're not too disappointed.


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha. That is the property of Rumiko Takahashi and Viz Productions.**

**A/N:** This is really about half a chapter and part of my new partial-chapter-posting program. Basically I'll write a scene—like the one below—and post it. When I have two or three scenes, I'll make them into one chapter. I'm hoping this will keep the story moving because as of right now I don't have time to right full chapters. This one was supposed to ready two weeks ago, but then all hell broke lose, and so there you go.

**Chapter 13**

Miroku stared down at the hanyou at his feet.

_So this is what I look like when I'm unconscious…not as attractive as I would have liked._ He mused as he nudged his friend with the foot of his sandal.

_Whatever Kagome did to you, she did it well...and without that blasted boomerang._

Unconsciously, his hand moved to the back of his head to inspect one of the many sites of damage done to him since coming in contact with the Amazons.

Only a sort while before, he had been waiting for Inuyasha to come and face him like a man when Kagome had burst out of the hurt looking more than a little afraid. And now, here he was, looking down at the unconscious man, debating what exactly he should do.

Kagome had clearly been afraid when she had come stumbling from the tent, but it was less for herself and more for Inuyasha. She had said he had _changed_, and almost hurt her, but she had been able to stop him. That had been all Miroku had stayed to hear; he had run off as fast as he could.

He had been expecting something dark and unnatural in the throes of demon nature.

Something cruel and twisted.

His friend as a monster.

A being to be stopped.

Not the puppy who lay at his feet at the moment.

It was true there were signs of Kagome's miko energy when it had purified the hanyou—the typical burnings scattering his skin, but other than that there was nothing.

What the hell had happened?

Inuyahsa made a strange sound, something between a sigh and a sort and Miroku glanced down just in time to see a clawed and fly out and grab his ankle. The Londoner was on the floor in an instant, attempting to pry off the claws firmly rammed into his calf.

"Where is she?" A gravely voice hissed near Miroku's ear where a moment earlier the hanyou had _not_ been. Before he could even think to move to safety, he felt his arms hauled behind his back, his face pinned to the floor.

"Where is my _BITCH_!" Inuyasha growled in his ear, causing Miroku to hiss when at the same time claws dug into his shoulder.

"You can not see her like that," Miroku held his ground. "Haven't you hurt her enough?"

Before his mind had time to register what was happening to him, Miroku found himself hanging in the air by the front of his shirt, looking down at a very pissed inu-youkai.

_How do I always end up in this position?_ He wondered idly as he debated the best course of action.

In the end, he settled for what seemed the mostly likely option to both save his skin (literally) and his dignity.

He punched Inuyasha squarely in the nose with the fist the hanyou had forgotten to restrain. It was his own fault, and Miroku always thought to fight fair.

Inuyasha reeled for a moment, staggering backward as he dropped his friend. He stood doubled over for a moment, frozen as he faced the floor. Suddenly his head gave a violent shake and let out a snort that sounded oddly like a disjointed sneeze.

His head shot, eyes blinking with the most confused expression on his face. There was a large fist print cover his face, moving from his the bridge of his nose to the corner of his left eye. He tried to blink the rapidly swelling eye again, giving his head one more shake to remove the imaginary water from his ears, snort-sneezing in the process.

Eyes coming to rest on Miroku, he gapped for a moment. "Miroku?" He asked in disbelief. "Where the fuck am I?"

It was in that moment that Kagome rushed in with Sango on her heels. She looked first worried to her brother, and seeing he was not slashed to ribbons, her eyes instinctively moved to her ex.

The look of utter-confusion on his bruised and bleeding face, tugged at her hears strings and Kagome moved to his side.

"Inuyasha?" She whispered. "Are you alright?"

"Is he all right?" Miroku choked out from behind her. "Is _he_ all right? What about me?"

Kagome ignored her brother, taking Inuyasha's injured face in her hands. She couldn't stop her heart from speeding up as their eyes met, and she smiled.

_He's back. I have him back._

She sensed rather than saw him move toward her, but suddenly all movement—real or imagined ceased. Seeing Inuyasha was looked over her shoulder intently at something behind her, Kagome turned enough to see the short older woman who Sango had taken her to when she had first reached the village.

Said woman spoke to Sango, all the while staring at Kagome.

Sango looked a bit worried, but repeated the message to Kagome anyway. "She said you're coming into your miko powers. She wants you to follow her."

As though the older woman was working under a cue, she turned, walking out of the hut. Sango had to give Kagome a push to get her to move, but Kagome found herself too soon in the bright sun tailing after the Amazon elder.


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha. That is the property of Rumiko Takahashi and Viz Productions.**

**A/N:** OMG! And update that didn't take fucking forever! This one's mostly plot, but I hope you like it. Also if you see any inconsistencies, please point them out, and I'll put them on my long list of things to fix.

Thanks to those of you with fully functioning fingers who reviewed. You guys are the ones who keep this story going. Seriously.

**Chapter 14**

The old woman had lit some incense which was currently choking up her tiny hut.

Kagome attempted to politely cover her nose from the burning herbs as she gave a sideways glance at Sango to gage the Amazon's reaction, but the warrior was breathing perfumed smoke as if it were fresh air.

When she had finished her muttered prayers at the alter, the elder turned to the two younger women, staring at Kagome with her one good eye.

Nodding at Sango, she began speaking, and even though Sango also began to translate, Kagome could not break eye contact with the elder.

She said her name was Kaede, and after going on about some general things concerning the tribe and her position in it, Kaede suddenly became very grave.

"We have a problem in this forest, Kagome," Sango translated carefully. "There are many dangers for us in the form of demons, but thankfully we are protected."

Kagome was surprised at this statement. The Amazons seemed to protect themselves fairly well. "Protected?" She could stop herself from asking.

Once Sango had interpreted, Kaede nodded. "We are protected by the Shinkon no Tama, a powerful jewel given to us to ward away the demons." She paused for a moment before continuing. "The story of the jewel is very old, but all our tribe knows it by heart. It was brought to this place by a powerful miko—the founder of our tribe. She built the shrine for the jewel to keep it safe. She also welcomed women from the surrounding jungle villages, women who had been mistreated. The miko trained them to be the protectors of the Shinkon no Tama so that it in turn would keep them safe."

Kaede paused for a moment to draw in a deep breath, giving Kagome time absorb what was being told to her. _A miko? She said before that I had _miko_ powers. Like the founder of their tribe. Does she…?_

Again Kaede began speaking, and Sango quickly picked up translating.

"We have survived for generations, and always a miko was born specifically to care for the jewel even though we all are here to protect it; the jewel gives us the strength to project it.

"But for some time—since I was a young child—our tribe has been without a priestess."

She paused to eye Kagome carefully.

"This was expected of course. It had been prophesized that such a time would come. A new miko will appear to us, and her arrival would bring a time of darkness followed by our tribe's assured prosperity. This miko would be our last."

Kagome gaped at the older woman. "You—you mean men?" She nearly choked on the words, her heart pounding away in her chest, praying that Kaede would say something else, something to mean she meant someone else—that anyone but her was the miko.

But when Sango translated Kagome's words, the woman only gave her a solemn smile and a nod to say that yes, she really did mean Kagome.

"But—I—I"

"You are the miko we have waited for," Kaede reaffirmed through Sango.

"But I'm supposed to bring a time of darkness?" She gulped.

"Followed by prosperity, do not forget that," Kaede gave Kagome a warm, grandmotherly smile. "Our tribe has struggled the past years without a miko; we have seen how we require one. The prophecy is what has given me hope child, that though there will be a dark time; at the end our tribe will be able to flourish."

She regarded Kagome yet again with one of her measured stares.

"The question is, can you be this miko for us?" She continued at Kagome's hesitance, "I can sense your skills have been little used, but it does not matter. Just your presence is comforting to the Jewel, and you must have noticed yourself its affects on your powers."

Kagome's mind flashed back to the purple light, the blinding glow as she had pushed Inuyasha away.

"With Inuyasha—that was?"

"You purified him."

Kagome thought back to her times in London. There were demons in London too, and more than once they had tracked her down. Miroku had said she had purified those demons, but it had been nothing compared to what she had done with Inuyasha. If her blast had lasted any longer or been any stronger, she could have made him temporarily human.

Or killed him.

"So will you be our miko?" Kaede was urging again.

Kagome thought for a moment. This was asking a lot. She had gone from London where her powers were ignored or had to be hidden to this place where she was given a title and responsibility because of the same powers.

"I am flattered, but I do not wish to hurt anyone. I understand you see the 'darkness' I would be bringing as a necessary evil, but how do the other members of your tribe feel?"

Kaede smiled. "You are wise my child. Even though your being here will cause some discord, there is nothing that can be done. It is the prophecy." She spoke the last words as if they were something even Kagome, and outsider, should understand. "We greatly need you, Kagome. And if you aid us, we will over look the presence of the two men who have accompanied you here."

Kagome's gaze shot up from where she had been studying her hands. Even as a naïve Londoner, she could recognize a veiled threat when she heard one.

"Alright," Kagome bowed her head. "If you think I will be of use, then I will help you."

"Good, my child," Kaede breathed with her grandmotherly smile.

She was about to say more when the hut's flap was thrown back and a girl rushed in. Bowing to Kaede, she said in a breathless voice, "A man was captured from the forest, Elder Kaede."

"Another one?" The woman spat. "We'll be overrun!"

XXXXXXXX

Inuyasha had smelled the reek long before he saw its source, so it was not a surprise for him to see a rumpled Naraku being drug into the Amazon camp.

Even warned, it did not stop the hair on the back of his neck from bristling, for his claws and fangs growing a bit longer, or for his eyes not to flicker red. The demon was too close to the surface from his run ins with Kagome and Miroku, but by sheer strength of will, Inuyasha somehow managed to keep the beast under control.

Miroku sat next to him by the small camp fire. Both men were temporarily free from restraints, but it was clear by the looming guards that they were not free to move as they chose.

"What are you doing here?" Miroku as he absently poked at the fire with a stick, trying to keep his anger under control as not to draw attention to their captors.

Inuyasha tried to relax, tried to concentrate on pushing thoughts of Naraku out of his mind. Miroku was speaking to him, giving him a chance to tell his side of the story—a chance he had not been given in London. He and Miroku had not spoken since the night they had almost dueled over Kagome's honor.

"I went to see Kagome and your mother told me she had ran away from home," he turned away from where he had been watching Miroku reshape the ash to look his friend in the eyes. "I knew it was my fault, and I couldn't let anything happen to her."

Miroku nodded slowly, but still did not look happy. "She would not be here now if you could have just kept your word and married her in the first place. Why were you even bothering to go see her? Rub more salt in the wound?" Miroku angrily jerked his gaze back to the fire.

Inuyasha was quiet for a moment. As much as he missed Kagome, he missed his best friend too. If he said the right thing now, perhaps one day he and Miroku would be able to patch things up. He could not get angry, he reasoned, drawing in a deep breath.

"Miroku, honestly, I can't say what happened to me. But I think he has something to do with it," he motioned to Naraku as the bound man was shoved into a hut.

"Lord Naraku?" Miroku sounded confused but interested. "We never told you before, a small smile tugged on his lips, "but he also wanted to marry Kagome. He has quite a fortune."

Inuyasha's claws dug into his pants and one of the Amazon guards gave him a strange look, but still, Inuyasha managed to keep the demon at bay. "So why are you telling me now?" His voice was the gravelly growl of the demon, and Miroku edged gingerly away.

Shrugging his shoulders after a moment, Miroku tried to answer the question without getting shredded by the hanyou sitting next to him. "At the time you were a friend of the family. Then, well you know…"

"I no longer deserve to be protected," Inuyasha's shoulders hunched, ears drooping.

Miroku felt a pang of guilt. Inuyasha had voluntarily followed them into the jungle to protect Kagome and here he was, trying to make the hanyou jealous. He had meant to bring up the fact he might reconsider Lord Naraku's offer if they made it back to London, but Miroku didn't have the heart.

"If it makes you feel any better, we didn't tell Kagome either. Not that she would have had a choice to make."

Nodding slowly, Inuyasha met Miroku's gaze again. "For what its worth, I am sorry, and I hope one day I can make it up to you and your family."

"I'm not the one you need to apologize to. That would be Kagome," He motioned with a hand to the scantily clad girl who had appeared out in the day light next to Sango. The younger woman was looking their way. "But," Miroku brought the hanyou's attention back to himself, "if you want me to listen to you explanation, I'd be happy to hear it."

Inuyasha sucked in a deep breath. "Alright, but it's a long story…"

Looking at their guards, Miroku shrugged his shoulders. "I think we have time."


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha; that is the property of Rumiko Takahashi and Viz Productions. I do not gain financially from this creation.**

**A/N: An update, oh joy! Please, please, please read this all the way through. My pre-reader said it was confusing, so I added a section. Just read to the end before you go "WTF, mate?"**

**Since school is out of the moment, I'm switching from "update which story I want / most popular story" to "update by alternation". The next story is supposed to be "Filling the Void." Just so you know. I can change my mind though, I'm like that.**

**Chapter 15**

Kagome chewed on her bottom lip. She looked on the sight of Inuyasha and Miroku talking together by the fire. It would appear to anyone else they were getting along very well, and in comparison to the last time they had been this close, they were.

But it wasn't any thing like the friendship they had shared before Inuyasha's betrayal.

_Will Inuyasha and _I_ ever be the same again?_

Even if she ever found it in herself to forgive him, if they were to return to London she doubted there would be a place for them—even as a married couple.

_I want to forgive him, but he has fooled me before. _She fidgeted with her fingers for a moment. _I don't know what I would do if he left me like that again._

Pushing the thoughts away to be examined again, Kagome followed Sango back to the Amazon's hut.

XXXXXXX

Months earlier in London… 

**Kikyou stepped off the train and onto the platform. It was one of the last warm days before winter set in and she tried to enjoy it as she made her way out toward the city streets. She looked around from time to time, searching the crowd of people swarming around her in the station. Most would think she was trying to find her family—a young woman unaccompanied—but this was not the case.**

**A tall man, his hair dark and black like her own, suddenly pulled her out of the crowd to the side of the station. For those who did recognize Kikyou through her hat and thin veil, the passersby would have thought it was a young woman meeting with her husband or even brother.**

"**I was starting to think you weren't going to come," Naraku growled possessively. He leaned down with a predator's grace and kissed the young woman in his embrace, smirking at her childish attempts to replicate the action. She still had so much to learn. The girls of society were all so naïve, to the point of being useless; they could learn so much more if they stopped listening to their mothers and worked in a brothel for a year.**

**He smirked at the thought, pulling back. "Did you get the invitation?"**

**A look of disappointment flashed across Kikyou's face. It always hurt when he switched so quickly from paying attention to her to business.**

"**Of course. Why wouldn't I?" She spoke with a sneer in her voice. Her family name was very old and carried much weight in London society. More harm would be done to the hostess who failed to invite Kikyou, than the heiress herself.**

**Naraku shrugged. "I like to know all my ducks are in a row." People were beginning to give them wondering glances, and it would not be long before they were openly staring.**

**Taking up Kikyou's hand he began to stroll them down the street. "Now, lets review the plan. I will not have you messing up all the designs I have made because you forgot something crucial."**

**Kikyou nodded, but grimaced as she looked away.**

"**I've given you two capsules—what are you going to do with them?" Naraku began to interrogate her.**

"**The small green one is to be given to Kagome Higurashi when I take afternoon tea with her at Lady Cadbury's home before the ball. The other I slip into Inuyasha's drink at the ball that night and have one of his friends give it to him."**

"**Good, you remember. Go on."**

"**Kagome will be unable to attend the party, or if she does, will not stay long. The drugs I have given her will make her appear ill. Inuyasha will be left alone, and before he has time to leave alone, I'll have him following me home." Kikyou's voice wavered a little at her own words, but Naraku did paid no notice. He needed her to do this, he was using her, and she was too blind to see. The thought of her greenness made him leer. **

**Naraku turned another corner when he thought he spotted another of his actual _respectable_ acquaintances—they kind he would talk if he and Kikyou were seen out together without a chaperone. If he plan was going work, the last thing he needed was for someone to start gossip about him and Kikyou; she needed to be associated with another hanyou…**

"**And what are you going to do with Inuyasha once you have him?" Naraku purred once they were safely out of sight on a new sidewalk. **

"**I lead him to the servants entrance to my house," Kikyou paused, swallowing hard. "I don't like this part of the plan," she complained. "I don't see how it does any good at getting us together." She stopped in the middle of the sidewalk and a young nanny who had been following behind them had to swerve her baby perambulator out of the way to avoid hitting him. She walked past the pair with a glare, but said nothing.**

**Pinching his fingers and thumb over his eyes, Naraku fed Kikyou the lie she needed to hear yet again.**

"**Your father won't let us marry, Kikyou. You know that as well as I do." Kikyou's bottom lip trembled and she forcefully crossed her arms over her chest, glowering at the pavement to look away from his intense gaze.**

**_Or at least you know what I've told you._ What she did not know was that he had never even asked her father for her hand.**

**Nor did he have the intention of doing so. Maybe when this was all over and he had the Shikon no Tama Kikyou would make and interesting mistress, but he, Naraku, was not the marrying type.**

**After waiting a beat he could still see she was unresponsive: all those years of being forced into the mold of a perfect Madonna going to battle with what he was asking of her. Naraku charged on.**

"**And this is a way for us to be together _and_ for me to make a fortune. You're just going to be engaged to the younger Takahashi for a while to keep him busy, and when I return you can leave him and we will be married."**

"**But my reputation—" She was trying to make those pointless social rules dogma again.**

"**Will not matter. I will be too wealthy for any one to care what your _reputation_ may be because money can make all the housewives in London forget you stole Inuyasha away from the Higurashi wench." Naraku saw Kikyou relax, she flicked her eye over him, a tiny childish smile tugging on her lips.**

"**Once you get Inuyasha into your house, what do you do with him?" Naraku turned, offering her his arm again. She hesitated then took looped her arm through his as they took up their walk again.**

"**I …" a blush flushed her face, "I take him into my father's study, and," again she gave a nervous gulp, "I make sure we are found."**

"**And just how are you going to do that," Naraku pressed. All the other details of his plan he was sure she would be able to pull off, but this last part was where Kikyou would have to bleed. He had to know she would be ready. "How will you be _found_?"**

**Unaware, Kikyou slowed her pace. "My governess." She was silent and Naraku had to nudge her as they walked. "She waits for me at the top of the stairs. I'll make sure she sees us when I move from the kitchen to the study. She won't stop us, but the moment my parents are home…they'll be the first one she talks to."**

"**And don't worry about that—I'll see that your parents will be following you closely." Naraku reassured. "Good Kikyou, good. I think things are ready." He smiled down at her, patting her hand. Like an obedient child, she beamed up at him, trusting.**

_**If only she knew….**_

XXXXXXXXXX

"And that's what she told me they had done." Inuyasha wiped his face with hand from the sweat of the day and the strain of telling the story Kikyou had related to him.

"So you knew where Kagome was all the time," Miroku pointed out scowling at the hanyou.

"No, that I did not know" Inuyasha tried to defend himself without losing his patience. "Kikyou said Naraku didn't want me to be with Kagome, and that they had this long drawn out plan to keep us separated. I honestly did not know she was on a godforsaken ship until I went looking for her at your house." He chanced a glance at Miroku who still did not look happy. "Your mother told me she had run away. All I could do was follow."

Miroku was silent for some time. First he fisted his hands over his knees, then he just stared into the fire. "Why?"

"Because I wanted to know she was safe—the thought she would actually board a ship terrified—"

"No," Miroku said slowly. "Why were you doing looking for her anyway? What right did you think you had to see her in the first place?" His questions were level, but Inuyasha knew him well enough to know the anger beneath them.

If the bitterness had not been there, the hanyou probably would have laughed at the similarity of the man's speech to his stepmother's concern for Kagome.

Inuyasha suddenly found himself very shy, but he needed to get his out in the open. "I wanted see her, at the time I hoped she'd take me back." He bitterly shook his head at the thought. "I know, I was a fool."

Miroku scowled, "Last time I checked, you were hardly in a position to be seeking Kagome's hand in marriage. Not that she'd have you."

The last sentence stung, but Inuyasha pushed it aside. Miroku was listening to him and maybe when it was all said and done the two of them would be able to at least speak civilly to one another. From there, perhaps they could even regain at least some of the footing he had destroyed.

And if he could get back in the graces of the brother, it might only be a hop, skip, and a jump to the sister. Inuyasha recognized the demon's ruthlessness on his thoughts, the selfish need to do anything to get what he wanted, but he ignored it. He had to use human calm to deal with this; it was the only way to be fair to Kagome.

Inuyasha tried to think of the best way to answer Miroku's question. "Its complicated, but I think in the end Kikyou's parents were putting too much pressure on her to marry me." Out of the corner of his eye he could see Miroku bristle, but still he went on. "Like I said, her part in this was because she wanted to be with Naraku, and she was afraid he wouldn't return from wherever he had gone in time. In the end, she released me. As soon as I was free, I went to Kagome."

He thought it sounded reasonable enough, but obviously Miroku did not.

"So you didn't leave Kikyou on your own, you just waited till she gave you an out?"

Inuyasha was thrown by the question. What did it matter who left who? The fact was he was back to be there for Kagome.

"I—I," he tried to speak, but no words were forming for him.

Miroku on the other hand suddenly had enough to say to make up for the both of them.

"That's right, honor or duty or what some other woman's parents thought was more important to you than Kagome. Something goes wrong, and you are more than willing to let her go than face the consequences." He was staring straight into the flames as if they were the most interesting thing in the world. Inuyasha didn't protest, knowing Miroku was not looking at him so he wouldn't attack him. "You bloody had to wait until Kikyou _released_ you before you were even man enough to come and try to get Kagome to take you back. If you ask me, I don't give a spot if you came all the way across the poxy ocean and forest to find her and _rescue_ her, you still do not and will not deserve her."

Miroku seemed to be winding down, at least Inuyasha hoped he was as he dared to defend himself.

"Don't you think I tried? I fended Kikyou's parents off for months after it happened and I thought everything would be fine, but then they went behind my back to Sesshomaru. Threatened him with going to the papers if I didn't marry their daughter—they would do anything to get her to marry me." Inuyasha sucked in another breath to continue, but in the small space where he paused, Miroku was already speaking—though now more like yelling—again.

"You were with another woman—a social rival of Kagome's—and for months you could not tell her? You just went along with it as though nothing had happened?"

"You are hardly one to talk when it comes to women—" Inuyasha tried to point out.

"Girls in a dance hall are bloody different Inuyasha!" Miroku exploded, angry eyes turning on Kagome, hands flying in the air in an expression of despair. "You forget about them! We're talking about Kagome and the woman you left her for."

"I didn't leave Kagome! I was forced away!" Inuyasha mocked Miroku's exasperated tone, his anger equaling Miroku's.

"Fine, they had your back to a wall, I get that," he conceded with a sneer, his posture slumping forward toward the flames his words softening. "What I don't understand is how you have them fuel for their fire in the first place. You know as well as I do that you do not go cavorting around with society women—especially ones with titles—and expect to get away from it. If you care about Kagome so damn much, what were doing with Kikyou in the first place?"

"I told you, she drugged me! I don't remember much except waking up with their damn butler hitting me over the head with a broom!" Inuyasha growled, turning himself away from Miroku, facing the fire as well.

Miroku could see they were getting nowhere. He rubbed his face in his hands. He knew he was knit picking, saying things he felt, but wanted to let go of instead of clinging to. Like Inuyasha, he wanted to put this behind them—as much as he could forgive and forget. However, the hanyou's attempts to make himself look like victim were not aiding Inuyasha's case in Miroku's eyes.

"So you were drugged? It doesn't change the fact you lied to Kagome for months and then left her in the end." He spoke more calmly this time.

"What do you want me say?" Inuyasha asked a little desperately. His shoulders slumped and his ears drooped. "I thought I was doing the right thing, but obviously I was only making it worse. I'm sorry for hurting you and Kagome." Inuyasha bowed his head. "If there is any way—_any way_—that I can make this right, I'll do it."

Miroku was quiet yet again, the gears in his head turning. He could continue this argument, but his grievances were getting old even to him. For months he had wanted to have this conversation with Inuyasha, to find out what really happened, and to have his own say. He took a calming breath, sighing slowly. Too much time had been spent on this topic already, if not in the present then over weeks he had spent planning on what exactly he would tell Inuyasha. He was trapped in the jungle with only a few other men, and he needed allies if he ever wanted to see London again.

He began slowly, a warning tone in his voice, "I'm not saying I forgive you. I want you to understand that first and foremost."

Inuyasha nodded, holding his tongue and wanting to hear what his friend had to say.

"First, I guess if you hurt anyone it was my sister and not me. If I'm honest with myself, the fact you are here should be proof—at least to me—you aren't quite as heartless as I have thought recently."

Inuyasha couldn't help but look hopeful.

"So secondly, if Kagome will forgive you, I can too. But I don't want you perusing her. Please leave her be and please, _please_ don't tell her what you've told me." Miroku leaned towards the flames, waving away Inuyasha's look of surprise. Meeting his friend's eyes, Miroku tried to explain. "Kagome doesn't need to know what a dolt you are—she might not even care you waited for an out until you came to her. Just protect her and when we're back to London let her be. I honestly don't know how much more she can take."

Inuyasha nodded. He knew it wasn't the best time tell Miroku he had no intention just letting Kagome go—it was going to be her decision. Miroku was not the one he wanted to marry, so it was not going to be Miroku who dictated which women he would and wouldn't pursue.

"Shaky truce?" Miroku asked, offering Inuyasha his hand.

"Shaky truce." Inuyasha nodded, taking his friends hand.

Inuyasha let out of the breath he had been holding since the conversation began. _This was a good start…. Next, Kagome._

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Naraku sat in the dark of the hut where those women had stashed him.

He allowed himself a momentary reverie, envisioning for a moment their scantily clad forms, dancing before his eyes.

_No, no, not now. Later._

He tried to focus on the present; in the present he had problems.

_Fucking Kikyou_._ All you fucking had to do was keep the hanyou happy with you for a little longer. If only you had given me more time, I would have been able to get control of the Higurashi wench and she would have used the jewel for me._

Now he was not sure where his plans stood.

The last thing he needed was for Inuyasha and Kagome to be in the same damn jungle in the same damn village holding hands and skipping like bloody school girls.

Kagome needed to be his so the jewel could be his.

Kagome could not be his if she was drooling after the mutt.

He needed Inuyasha to be out of the picture, he needed the wench to be alone and vulnerable. Only then would he truly be able to manipulate her. Kagome was an extremely powerful miko, even if she didn't know it herself, and using her to use the jewel would increase its power. The power would be incredible.

Naraku felt himself salivating at the thought.

_But you have to get away from the hanyou first. _

He cursed in to himself in the dark of the hut.

Everything had been so perfect when he had left London. He had been following Kagome who by all accounts had been prime for his purposes. Kouga was leading her and her brother right where he needed the wench. But now he was here, trapped by ninja women, Kagome, from what he could smell, was making eyes at the hanyou, and the mutt, from what he could hear and smell, was planning on making go after the girl.

Sucking in a deep breath, Naraku tried to clear his mind.

Ok, so the girl was around the hanyou. He would do what he could to keep them apart, but considering how tight the bounds were, that wasn't much.

He would only have one break, and it would have to be soon. He'd have to work quickly, but Naraku decided the best plan of action was to free himself, grab the jewel, grab the miko, and make a run for Kouga and his many many speedy pretty ships.

As long as he got to her before Inuyasha gave her hope, she could be corrupted, and the jewel would be darkly his. His to do whatever he wanted.

Again, Naraku leered in the dark.


End file.
